Ronnie,
Yes, good point! We are much more encouraging of small children to utilize blended inputs that we are of older students :)
Dr. Ruth Reynard
Hyrbrid offers students the opportunity to develop relationships face-to-face, so they can put a "face" on their online connections.
Jaclyn,
...and it maximizes multiple inputs...this creating a dynamic learning environment.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
Blended learning offers the student and teacher flexibility. It gives the student other ways to learn so it helps address different learning styles. It also is a good way for students interested in the online platform to take baby steps before enrolling in an online class.
Joel,
Yes, it also streamlines the experience for both on ground and online. The more streamlined it is, the easier the transitions will be for students and faculty from one mode to another.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
I find that blended learning gives students the opportunity to feel a bit more empowered in the learning process. They often can review information as often as they wish and can use the response of classmates as a baseline to measure their understanding. I've found that students in my blended course would voluntarily explore topics a bit more than my traditional students. I think a bit of this is because they have the freedom to interact on different levels (chats, discussion boards, reviews)that made them feel comfortable and so became more open about the course content and giving their views.
Camille,
This is so true. I agree that students in a blended course have more tools and opportunity to self-direct and engage. Good points!
Dr. Ruth Reynard
Students have the opportunity to interact with the content on an individualized basis as well as learning with the instructor and fellow students. This instructional model provides the “best of all worlds†as one student told me. He was concerned about the blended or hybrid model at the beginning of the class and we exchanged several calls. Once he understood the technology and how it worked with the face to face sessions he became a supporter of this model. He even told me at the end of the class he never felt more a part of a learning community before he tried this class.
Deborah,
Wonderful! Thank you for sharing your student's feedback. I agree that more students will feel supported and their learning needs addressed in a blended delivery as long as the instructional design is flexible, not static or linear.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
Students have greater time flexibility, freedom, and convenience by working part of the time online from home due to decreased commuting and parking hassles. Students are likely to interact more with the instructor and fellow students since there are numerous opportunities to do so both in class and online. Students have access to unlimited up-to-date resources available via the Web. Students often develop or enhance skills in time management, critical thinking, and problem solving. Students enjoy increased success as measured by fewer course withdrawals and somewhat higher grades. Students can participate more in class discussions since they can choose environment — online or face-to-face — in which they feel more comfortable. Students have more time to reflect and refer to relevant course and other research materials when working and writing online than when responding in class. Students typically have 24/7 access to online course materials. Students usually receive more feedback, and more frequent feedback, from their instructors. Students can acquire useful skills from using the Internet and computer technology.
Vimlarani,
You have provided a thorough summary of the benefits to students...all of these do depend as much on instructional design and teaching methodology as the capability of the technology, if it is to succeed. Good points!
Dr. Ruth Reynard
Hybrid learning seems to combine the best of both worlds, in my opinion. The student and the instructor have the flexibility of working on assignments and feedback when it works best for them, and they still have the opportunity to meet face-to-face to get answers to questions and work together in real time. As an instructor, I have always enjoyed teaching hybrid courses because I get to see my students occasionally, but I still get to interact with them frequently online to maintain that connection without having to drive to a campus.
Blended learning allows the instructional designer the opportunity to leverage the strengths of instructional media with the efficacy of the instructional components to ensure the instructional goal is attained. Therefore, for a blended learning solution to be successful, it is imperative a thorough media analysis and needs assessment be conducted while addressing the fundamental components of the instructional systems design process. Note: While the most significant factors in student learning are quality and effectiveness of instruction, the most important single factor in developing blended learning is the instructional objective. The level of cognitive objectives is a critical variable to consider when selecting the most appropriate media for blended learning.
Blended classes allows instructors to move beyond the textbook to take advantage of the many Open Educational Resources (OER) that are now available online. These resources are great supplements to the instructors in class session by allowing students to better leverage their individual learning styles.
Thomas,
Very true...there are numerous online resources available as well as the other benefits of Internet use in instruction. The capabilities of the technology enhance the interactivity and customization of the learning environment.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
Blend learning provide instructors with the opportunity to provide students with high quality supplements to their text books by selecting suitable OERs. Also it encourages students to share their knowledge and experience in the classroom making it a much richer learning environment.
As a student, I have participated in blended learning and see it as having the advantages of both face to face and online learning. In many ways the interaction of face to face learning cannot be duplicated, but when you add to that the advantages of giving students the opportunity for more interaction with each other via the Internet and mobile devices along with other ways to gather information, I can see great advantages to this type of learning.
It can offer:
1. 24 hour access to materials and assignments.
2. A more flexible learning schedule
3. Class time can be directed at help students overcome obstacles to learning.
Even in my f2f classes, I believe so much in enriching my courses with hybrid learning.
Learning isn't something we turn on and off. It's an ongoing process, and in writing classes, it's something that needs to be worked on every day.
Students can move at their own pace, within reason, and search out the materials they need specifically. Not all students have the same needs, so I make sure there is room in my class for supplemental work done online. Students do what they need to work on as long as they do X number of exercises by a certain date. I use a Pearson product to supplement my text and students rave about it.
When I taught f2f, this level of individualization was incredibly time consuming for me.
Blended learning offers a chance for a student to reflect. For instance, asynchronous discussion forums offers a student an opportunity to formulate their answer, review their findings, and then post their answer. This can be an optimal situation in that it can save embarrassment, gives the student time to think before responding, and offers the student time to research their answer or discover the potential learning.
