Thinking
about a Hybrid Course? Some Tips
Tip
1: Take it easy
- Start early — 3-6 months
in advance — and produce actual learning modules that meet specific
learning goals and are relatively easy to manage and grade.
- Redesign is an incremental
process. Try not to include too many new activities at first. Start small
and you can build it one step at a time.
- Experiment and learn as you
go.
- Keep technology use simple
in order to avoid turning the course into a support nightmare and gradually
add more advanced technology.
- Remember that as you increase
significantly the number of assignments and opportunities for feedback,
you also potentially increase your own work load. Don't burn yourself out!
Tip 2: Focus on
design, not technology
- Critically re-examine course
goals and objectives and consider carefully how they can best be achieved
in the hybrid environment.
- Develop new learning activities
that capitalize on the strengths of the online and face-to-face learning
environments.
- Avoid the common tendency to
cover too much material and include too many activities in the redesigned
course that result in a "course and a half."
- Don't overload the course: online
activities take longer than you think they will.
- Focus on the integration of
the online and face-to-face components. Connecting what occurs in class
with what is studied online is critical so instructors do not end up teaching
two parallel but unconnected courses.
- Review the examples of hybrid
courses available through this site to think about different schedules for
in-class/online work, and the implications of those different schedules
for the learning activities you have planned.
Tip 3: Use the
resources already available
- Search for discipline-specific
Web sites for available content.
- Look for publisher content
available online, especially in lower-level courses.
- Use online help resources such
as facilitation of group work, managing discussion forums, etc. (see below)
Tip 4: Don't go
it alone
- Talk with and get advice and
feedback from experienced hybrid course instructors.
- Discuss your problems and progress
with colleagues, whether they are using the hybrid or not.
- Get feedback and support from
faculty who have taught hybrid courses
Tip 5: Manage
your students' expectations
- Explain and justify the hybrid
course format and assignments clearly and repeatedly.
- Make sure that students understand
the equivalence between the amount of work in traditional class and in a
hybrid class.
- Draw your students' attention
to special technical needs, or particular assignments that may require additional
resources: not all online work can be completed at home.
- Make all assignments and other
course expectations as explicit as possible right from the start. In particular,
make sure that the schedule of in-class and online work is clear to the
students, and that due dates are stated explicitly and repeatedly.
- Identify and develop plans,
materials, and activities to help students with the technology and time
management challenges many encounter.
Tip 6: Prepare
for anticipated problems
- Use simpler technologies to
reduce risk and complications.
- Break down and phase in longer
assignments.
- Provide time management tips
for students.
- Be very clear about what students
are expected to do, and how you will grade them.
- Prepare technology help sheets.
- Identify place to go for live
technology help.
- Develop a plan for conducting
course activities when technology fails. For example, keep a backup copy
of files on a home computer so you can e-mail important information to students.
Tip 7: The little
things count!
- Things will occasionally go
wrong; plan carefully and be flexible about making adjustments where needed.
- Ask for feedback from your
students often and take their responses seriously.
- Don't organize your course
too tightly. There's always some "slippage," and you need to leave
room for any adjustments that you think necessary.
- During the course, falling
behind or sloppy record keeping can be fatal: stay current and keep copies
of everything. Set aside time to focus on the online components, including
reading student postings and assignments.
- Use the tools in the course
management system to get organized and stay organized.
Jeffrey B. Larson, Ph.D
Dean of EICCD E-learning Enterprise
Eastern Iowa Community College District
Kahl Educational Center - Suite 801
326 West Third St.
Davenport, IA 52801
563.336.5237 (O)
563.271.4801 (C)
jlarson@eicc.edu
http://www.eiccdonline.blogspot.com/
http://www.eiccdonline.net/Elearning/
