Blended & hybrid learning:

a new breed of animal???

Survey 1: who is doing what with hybridization?

A.I have (or am currently) teaching a hybrid or blended course

B.I am experimenting with hybrid/blended approaches

C.I am actively planning to offer something hybrid/blended within the next year or so

D.I barely know what a hybrid course is!

What’s a hybrid course? A blended course? What’s the difference? Does it matter?

Some definitions:

(from Wikipedia)Blended learning in educational research refers to a mixing of different learning environments. It combines traditional face-to-face classroom methods with more modern computer-mediated activities.

Hybrid courses blend face-to-face interaction such as in-class discussions, active group work, and live lectures with typically web-based educational technologies such as online course cartridges, assignments, discussion boards, and other web-assisted learning tools.

Important to note is that the term hybrid is not used often in the U.S., where the more common term for this kind of education is Blended learning.

(From IRRODL)Blended [hybrid] learning is a hybrid of classroom and online learning that includes some of the conveniences of online courses without the complete loss of face-to-face contact. (from Rovai, A.P. & Jordan, H. (2004). Blended learning and a sense of community: A comparative analysis with traditional and fully online graduate programs. IRRODL 5 (2).

A popularity contest indicates “hybrid course” is the more-used: If you google the 2 terms, you’ll find that “hybrid course” gets ~406,000; “blended course” gets ~225,000.

Yet another search term: hyflex

• Instead of face-to-face OR online, hyflex is face-to-face AND online

• Key principle is flexibility for the student• They can attend sessions in the classroom, participate

online, or both. • Essentially provides multiple pathways through the

course content• Works well for courses where students arrive with

varying levels of expertise or background in the subject matter.

Hybridization: how does it happen? College of the Rockies’ case study

1. In the beginning… moodlization2. Small steps: Class resources & gradebook3. Steps of convenience: snow days, sick days4. Bigger steps: hybridizing the week, the month5. Giant steps: hybridizing the semester/program6. Iterative steps: bringing quality back in

Hybridization: how many different ways can you slice it?

1. online and face-to-face learning activities2. online and face-to-face students3. online and face-to-face instructors.

e.g.A. alternate classroom & distanceB. Have one group in classroom, one group remoteC. Lectures in classroom, study & discussion by

distanceD. Study & discussion in class, lectures by distanceE. Team teaching: lectures by distance, labs in class

Survey 2: which example (A – E) is of most interest to you?

So why do hybrid? Studies abound…

•Provides “differentiated instruction” •options in learning environments result in learning gains.•options for pacing and attendance•Increases course completion rate•Develops independent learning, lifelong learning skills

•A blended approach results in better performance for students than either online alone or face-to-face alone

Hybrid delivery: What’s in it for faculty?

For the institution?

So why not do hybrid? What do people worry about?

Hybridization: How do you do it?

•The “Start Simple” or “convenience” approach: lectures &/or study activities &/or discussion•The “strategic” approach: think about the competencies/learning outcomes•An obvious example: Teaching English as a Second Language•More radical approaches: Flipping the lecture vs. study approach•Choose LMS tools to make this work•Assessment of learning•Have a look at the Blended Learning Toolkit (http://blended.online.ucf.edu/blendkit-course/)

Survey 3: do you want to try it?

For what purpose would you like to try a hybrid course?A.For more flexibility about where & when I workB.To gain some experience with online deliveryC.To develop some learning outcomes that might work better using online tools D.My Dean/Department Head/institution is promoting the ideaE.I don’t really want to try it for the foreseeable future

How do we support our students in a hybrid learning environment?

New initiatives

•Mobile learning, situated learning•Online & remote science•iPads•flipping•What else?

References & Resources

1.Rovai, A.P. & Jordan, H. (2004). Blended learning & a sense of community: A comparative analysis with traditional & fully online graduate programs. IRRODL 5(2). http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/192/274 2.7 things you should know about the Hyflex course model (2010) Educause: http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7066.pdf3.Studies about hybrid/blended delivery: can't go wrong with Educause's 146 resources for blended learning http://www.educause.edu/Resources/Browse/HybridorBlendedLearning/33312 4.Queen’s U is doing it in a big way: http://www.thewhig.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3497869

Even more References & Resources5.How-to: the Blended Learning Toolkit. Lots of support for the how, when, where, model courses. Check out the faculty development section. Also view the extensive references under the Research tab. http://blended.online.ucf.edu/

6.Similarly, you can see blended learning case studies, faculty self-assessment, learn how to blend: from Simmons College: http://at.simmons.edu/blendedlearning/

7.Richard Smith’s CMNS 253 course wiki: https://wiki.sfu.ca/spring11/cmns253wd100/index.php/Main_Page

8.7 things to know about flipped classrooms: http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7081.pdf

Q&A