Hybrid Courses

“By blending approaches, colleges hope to save

money and meet students' needs.”

Jeffrey R. Young, Chronicle of Higher Education,

March 22, 2002.

Hybrid or Blended courses are:

Not a traditional online course – entire course is not online

Not a traditional class with a website – online time replaces some class-time

Not just transferring content to the web - involves an extensive course redesign

Goals of a Hybrid Course • to join the best features of in-class teaching with the best

features of online learning• to promote active independent learning and reduce class

seat time. • to use computer-based technologies, to redesign some

lecture or lab content into new online learning activities– case studies– tutorials– self-testing exercises– simulations – collaborative projects– student directed projects

Benefits of a Hybrid Course• Interaction - offers increased student interaction

with other students and between the students and instructor

• Emphasis – on active learning techniques• Flexibility - allows for diverse learning styles, more

efficient use of time and classroom space• Increased learning – instructors almost universally

report their students learn more in the hybrid format than they do in traditional class sections

Creating a Hybrid Course• redesign course from your learning outcomes• use instructional techniques best suited for

teaching different content• address student learning styles• focus on analysis and reflection• assess the process, the results and the learning

What is required from the instructor?

• committing time and energy • rethinking the design of the course • learning to teach online

– fostering online learning communities   – facilitating online discussion

• learning new technology

Challenges • Faculty need to learn how to redesign their

courses and how to teach well online. – Join a USF hybrid course development group.

• Faculty need adequate time to redesign their hybrid course.

• Course design needs to avoid the “course and a half” syndrome.

• Students need an introduction to a hybrid learning environment.

Sources….• Teaching with Technology Today – Hybrid Courses

http://www.wisconsin.edu/news/2003/bor_03_mar2003/BORHybrid030603_3_1.pdfFormalized online assessments

• Introduction to Hybrid Courses http://www.uwsa.edu/ttt/articles/garnham.htm