Hybrid and blended courses combine face-to-face (F2F) delivery and online delivery, with 30% to 79% of the content delivered online. Blended courses, by their nature, have some same-time/same-place (ST-SP) delivery. This provides for less separation between learner and facilitator, especially in the F2F stages of the course. The remainder of the course follows the online course model.
Hybrid courses provide an opportunity for faculty to utilize the best of the web and the best of the F2F environments. As online and F2F activities and interactions can vary widely in hybrid courses, a hybrid course can represent a starting point for instructors who are used to face-to-face instruction and looking to shift into virtual and online instruction, thus creating a new teaching opportunity for faculty. For example, instructors can try using hybrid activities or concepts to solve existing problems in their courses.
Blended courses support the shift from lecture-centered to student-centered instruction. Experienced instructors can create individualized learning experiences for learners, thus enhancing their learning experience.
Ideas for Incorporating Technology in Your Class
- Use technology to deliver the online part of the blended course.
- Store course content online, so it can be posted and updated easily.
- Have students prepare projects in small groups and interact with each other using online social media tools. Projects can be uploaded to the course management system (e.g. Blackboard), with the findings presented in class.
- Use technology to interact with students and to provide feedback to students as they answer quizzes online.
- Use technology to support project-based learning, and to facilitate research, collaboration, reflection, presentation, and inquiry.