The 2019 International Conference on Online and Blended Learning (ICOBL) organized by Graduate School of UNY in collaboration with National Central University Taiwan aims to gather researchers, scientists, scholars and learners to exchange ideas and share new experiences and thoughts on all aspects of Online and Blended Learning. This activity presented 6 keynote speakers including Prof. Dr. David Stein from Ohio State University, Prof. Tian Belawati, Ph.D., from the Universitas Terbuka of Indonesia, Prof. Dr. Zoraini Wati Abas from Universiti Terbuka Wawasan Malaysia, Dr. Elizabeth Hartnell from Young University of Melbourne Australia, Prof. Dr. Wu-Yuin Hwang from National Central University, Taiwan and Nurkhamid, Ph.D. from UNY. The activity was opened by Vice Director I PPs UNY, Dr. Sugito, M.A and chair of the 2019 ICOBL organizer, Prof. Herman Dwi Surjono, Ph.D.

With the theme "Innovation in Online-Blended Learning: Implementation, Implication, and Emerging Technology" Herman explained that Blended learning is a learning facility that combines various ways of delivery, teaching models, and learning styles, introducing various choices of media dialogue between the facilitator and people who got the teaching. Blended learning is also a combination of face-to-face teaching and online teaching, but more than that as an element of social interaction.

"The benefits of using e-learning and also blended learning in education today is that e-learning provides flexibility in choosing the time and place to access lessons. Students do not need to travel to where lessons are delivered, e-learning can be done from anywhere whether they have access to the Internet or not ", Herman added.

This point was agreed by Vice Director I Dr. Sugito, M.A who explained that E-learning provides an opportunity for students to independently control the success of learning. "Learners are free to determine when they will start, when they will finish, and which parts in a module they want to learn first. If, after repeated, there are still things that he does not understand, learners can contact the instructor, resource persons via email, chat or take part in interactive dialogues at certain times, "added Sugito again. (ant)