Blended/hybrid Learning Discussion

Knowledge Team

March 2008

Online only

Both online and f2f

F2f only

Hybrid or Blended Learning

What Are Hybrid Courses?

• In "hybrid" classes, a significant amount of the course learning activity has been moved online, making it possible to reduce the amount of time spent in the classroom. Traditional face-to-face instruction is reduced but not eliminated.

• The "hybrid" course model is also referred to as "blended." On this site, we use these terms interchangeably.

• http://www4.uwm.edu/ltc/hybrid/

Texas Higher Education and Blended Learning

Texas A&M• To respond to demands of larger numbers of residential and non-

residential students, TAMU supports the development of technology-based teaching to complement traditional face-to-face instruction.  TAMU recognizes that communication technology offers faculty an increasing number of ways to provide instruction and that the Internet allows development of asynchronous learning.

• Delivery of courses and programs via distance will focus on graduate programs and continuing education, although distance methods for leveraging faculty time and expertise will be strongly advocated for high-demand residential and, where appropriate, off-campus undergraduate courses.

Another way of saying it: Oregon University System

• Residential students try to take advantage of the opportunity to enhance, accelerate or optimize face-to-face course scheduling by adding asynchronous courses. 

•     Asynchronous students try to take advantage of courses offered face-to face at alternative schedules to enhance, accelerate or optimize their programs.

http://72.14.235.104/search?q=cache:h9F04ymXqjoJ:www.ous.edu/state_board/workgroups/edp/files/VirtualUniversity.ppt+%22residential+students%22+%22distance+education%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=6

Another way of saying it: Northwestern University

Still another example: Brigham Young University

University of North Texas

“UNT has adopted Blackboard Learning System – Vista, formerly WebCT Vista, as the learning management system (LMS) that is supported across the university. Faculty members use Vista to supplement and support 100% face-to-face instruction as well as to conduct all of their online course activities.”

http://cdl.unt.edu/Content/About/Statistics/An_Analysis_of_UNT_DL_Spring_2007_revised.doc

Problems Addressed (Why they use blended learning:

Infrastructure/Logistics

1. Limited number of qualified faculty to teach the courses2. Need to expand enrollment3. Lack of classroom space and classes of the right size4. Multiple sections taught by faculty (mostly teaching

fellows)5. Not enough time to help those students who need help6. Lack of consistency of content across multiple sections of

the course7. Lack of standardization of content8. Need for teaching fellows and teaching assistants to have

experience with new forms of teaching

Problems Addressed (Cont.):

Design/Delivery

1. A reliance on the lecture method2. Little student interaction with instructor or with each other3. Need for more interaction Need for a higher level of interaction (Not just more but more thoughtful)4. Little attention paid to varying learning styles 5. Improving student comprehension of learning (drawing on multiple learning styles)6. Little attention paid to marrying content to application7. Same delivery method for the whole course8. Lack of requiring higher-level learning skills and critical thinking9. Lack of continuous improvement of materials and methods

Problems Addressed (Cont.):

Outcomes

1. Poor retention of content2. Poor attendance3. Poor completion4. Poor success High repeating of courses5. Lack of motivation and excitement about the subject6. Student anonymity Assessment

Assessment techniques that encouraged students to absorb large quantitiesof material, expel it, and then forget it (bulimic learning)

Texas Teaching Mode of Delivery

U of North Texas and Blended Learning

43% of post-baccalaureate and masters students take at least one online course with 32% and 27%, respectively, totally online

• Very small percent of undergraduates are online only, but a significant percentage of all UNT students are taking both face-to-face and online courses (20% for all students and 22% for freshman)

• Taking courses both face-to-face and online increases the number of semester credit hours taken (by 1.17 SCH) and percentage of students pursuing coursework fulltime (by 8%)

• If undergraduates are taking online courses to increase course load, special care may be indicated to promote success

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

• Faculty Insights• What have UW-Milwaukee faculty said about going hybrid?• "My students have done better than I've ever seen; they are

motivated, enthused, and doing their best work." • "Introverts, who are quiet in the face-to-face class, really participate

online." • "Discussions are good, both in and out of class." • "This gets so much more student interaction." • "The hybrid allowed me to do things in my course that I've always

wanted to do and couldn't." • "Students think the they are learning more, and I think they're

learning more." • "Hybrid is the best of both worlds." • "Give it a try once. I think people owe it to their educational mission

of being a teacher and instructor to try one hybrid course."

Resources

Creating Successful Blended Courses

Marj Kibby School of Social Sciences ─ Faculty of Education and Arts

Resources