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A Hybrid course, as defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), is a “distance education course in which more than 50 percent but less than 100 percent of instructional activity takes place when the student(s) and instructor(s) are in separate physical locations."
Hybrid courses allow the University to:
- Offer additional course sections
- Provide alternative learning environments
- Maximize classroom utilization
- Promote active, independent learning
The goal of Hybrid instruction is to combine the best features of face-to-face teaching with the best features of online learning while intentionally reducing seat time. Using computer-based technologies, instructors redesign lecture or lab content into engaging online learning activities such as: case studies, tutorials, self-testing exercises, simulations, applied problem-based activities and online group collaborations.
Hybrid Academy Workshop
The Hybrid Academy is a structured professional development experience designed to support faculty in redesigning a course for delivery in the Hybrid format. Content is organized into units that support faculty through the process of:
- Understanding Hybrid course design principles
- Aligning course outcomes, activities, and assessments
- Applying best practices in online pedagogy
- Integrating active and independent learning strategies
- Designing a reduced seat-time instructional model
Deliverables
Successful completion of the workshop includes completing all assigned tasks found within each module, including:
- Module assessments
- Participating in Discussions
- Blueprint document (Course Map)
- Designing and developing Hybrid course in development shell
- Meeting Internal QM Review of developed course
In order to participate, UTRGV faculty must:
- Complete the Applying the Quality Matters Rubric. Workshops are listed in COLTT Faculty Training
- Chair approve course to be offered in the Hybrid format in the following semester. An agreement form will be provided for approval.
- Fall -> Spring
- Spring -> Fall or Summer
Reasons for Developing Hybrid Courses
- Faculty can teach using a variety of online and in-class teaching strategies, which make it possible to achieve course goals and objectives more effectively.
- The hybrid model allows faculty to develop solutions to course problems and to incorporate new types of interactive and independent learning activities that were not possible in traditional courses.
- Instructors report that they feel more connected with their students and are able to get to know them better since they communicate both online and face-to-face.
- Hybrid environments have the potential to increase and extend instructor-student and student-to-student connectivity and to build relationships even more so than in traditional or online courses (Dziuban, Hartman, & Mescal, 2004).
- Discussions started in class are continued online and online interaction often carries over into the traditional face-to-face classes.
- Integration of out-of-class activities with in-class activities allows for
more effective use of traditional class time. - Students who rarely take part in class discussions are more likely to participate online (Garnham & Kaleta, 2002).
Faculty believes that their students learn more in the hybrid format than they do in traditional class sections.- Instructors report that students write better papers, performed better on exams, produced higher quality projects, and were capable of more meaningful discussions on course material when reflecting online.
- Students are better able to master concepts and apply what they have learned compared to students in sections of their traditionally taught courses.
- Students may develop higher-order skills of critical thinking, problem-solving, and the ability to apply theoretical models to real-world data (Donoghue, 2011).
- Learning to teach a successful hybrid course leads to using more participatory and student-centered learning activities.
- Teaching a hybrid course transforms the teacher-student relationship to be more centered on student learning.
- Instructors found that their role as a teacher changed from being the "sage on the stage" to become more facilitative and learner-centered.
- Many instructors report that their course management system has increased their pedagogic efficiency because of its ability to organize the course and automate some basic activities such as quizzes, grading, and surveys (Bersin 2004).
- All the discussion threads, course documents, announcements, and grades are easy to find, refer to, and print if necessary.
- It's far easier to document online group work and participation for purposes of assessment.
- Asynchronous online courses allow students to work around job schedules and other activities. Many students must work in order to afford school
- Less face-to-face time means less commuting by students – they save money on gas and create less traffic/parking issues
- In the 2012 ECAR survey, about 75% of students said it was important that instructors use cutting-edge technologies
- Blackboard has recently upgraded to a very new look and feel and has added several key functionalities
- Online/hybrid courses also reduce the need for space, which is a considerable issue for UTRGV
- Dziuban, C. D., Hartman, J. L., & Moskal, P. D. (March 30, 2004). Blended learning. Educause Center for Applied Research, 2004(7).
- Garnham, C., & Kaleta, R. (2002). Introduction to Hybrid Courses. Teaching with Technology Today, 8(5).
- Donoghue, F. (2011, July). The Strength of Online Learning. The Chronicle of Higher Education.
- Bersin, J. (2004). The Blended Learning Book. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.