I think it offers a "sky is the limit" kind of opportunity that is not always easily accessible with just on ground, classroom teaching.
A student has the opportunity to really delve into subjects that interest them and share and converse with other students, maybe not necessarily in their class, but in their interest. How cool is that. It opens the WORLD, literally up to them for this discovery.
I used SKYPE in my class one time and had a 4 hour conversation with a couple in Australia who were very open and honest about the healthcare system in Australia. One of the couple had gone to college here in America and could give an honest side by side comparison. What this exchange did for my students and their understanding of the American healthcare system was not short of amazing!
I am so fortunate to be an instructor in this age and have access to so much!
Alice,
Wonderful comments and examples :) Yes, I was able to have ESL teachers in TN connect with students in China to gain EFL experience - it does open up the world, as you say.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
In addition to retaining the face-to-face session with students, the other opportunities that hybrid or blended learning offers students includes everything from web-based technology in the LMS to social media interactions and YouTube videos for additional training - not unlike some of the comments mentioned previously. I think YouTube has changed the way may of us have instructed. It's served as a very efficient supplemental instructional tool and with the other video programs available, both instructors and students have the ability to create videos as well. It's provided a vast array of opportunities to connect on multiple levels with students according to their needs and learning styles.
Great comment. Flexibility in everyone's time is a key factor in the benefit of blended or hybrid learning today. It is one of the reasons I selected online learning for my graduate education as well as my work. It enabled me to further my education while my children were literally newborn to toddlers and now enables me to be home with them more than when I was in corporate America.
This is a great point. Blended learning allows those for whom fully asynchronous learning does not work. There are students for whom some interactions with the instructor is necessary provides that opportunity while acclimating them to the online environment. As another comment mentioned, it's the 'best of both worlds' indeed. Thanks for sharing.
Like many of the participants, I agree that one of the most beneficial attributes is flexibility of time and space. It also allows the student to understand and better frame their own learning style. Autonomy is a definite plus.
Paula Bordenkecher
Yvette,
Good points! I just last class assigned a "YouTube" project :)
Dr. Ruth Reynard
Yvette,
Yes, the flexibility is a huge benefit that is obvious to students - great that we can design instruction using these new tools that also enhance the actual learning environment for our students too.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
Paula,
...and learner autonomy is a general goal that all instruction should try and accomplish. What is wonderful about newer technological tools and environments is that autonomy is required as a "user" which, in turn, encourages those skills as a learner as well.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
Blended learning can be used by students with different learning techniques. I like to use a weekly study guide and a suggested weekly study plan with my students. In that way, if they have questions, they can refer to the study guide for topics they should be learning about and the study plan of how to get the most out of their weekly study time.
Linda,
Thank you for sharing this idea. Yes, it is important to keep students on track as well as helping resource their efforts.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
The blended format offers the student the experience and flexibility of an online program in addition to the F2F dynamic. This allows the student to be more free in their learning knowing that there will still be a "human" to talk to during the course.
Hybrid courses also allow the student to integrate technology into their learning experience without having 100% of the program or course content in a virtual format.
Bill,
Yes, it truly provides a rich mixture of the best in both worlds, so to speak. I am finding that many younger students prefer hybrid or blended to fully online, as they really like the occasional human contact.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
Angela,
I completely agree with your comment. I absolutely believe that one of the main benefits of taking a hybrid course is the combination of having a flexible schedule with the added benefit of face-to-face time students have with an instructor.
The online classroom setting also allows more interaction opportunities for the students with the instructor as well as with their peers. Since class time is limited, online discussion forums and postings can allow students with more in-depth conversations with classmates than would be possible in a traditional one-hour class. Online assignments also give students chances for more active learning through team assignments and group discussions. There is also more time to reflect over answers to discussion questions. There is also the added benefit of being able to add to class discussions without the stress of a class full of people. Most people feel less pressure and are more willing to join discussions online than they are in a crowded room. Students feel more comfortable expressing themselves in the online setting instead of in a room full of peers.
This way, students can track when class activities are scheduled and assignments are due.
The flexibility of the "HYBRID learning can provide a feeling of “surprise and delight†for faculty when they begin to incorporate various tools and features into hybrid courses. The students have increased access to online course resources, as well as the instructor’s invaluable face-to-face teaching time.
As many have mentioned I think time and flexibility are clearly important for today's college students. I also believe that hybrid or blended learning allows for more comprehensive face to face time to focus on the competency based objectives. Additionally it offers students who grasp the material quickly the benefit of not being held up by those who are slower to understand concepts. The instructors can manage the 'levels' better than in a traditional classroom where you have to balance those levels. If delivered properly hybrid/blended learning provides an opportunity for students to stay fully engaged and mitigates the potential of students who drop because they don't feel challenged by the content or others who drop because they feel left behind.
Jay,
Good points! Yes, the blended learning environment provides more choice and ultimately appeals to more learners than conventional classroom or fully online often do.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
Students can move at thier pace. As an instructor this can be helpful to those who are moving at a faster pace than others and vice/verse.
Theresa,
Yes, that is true. Students can be freer to move at their own pace without interrupting or altering the pace of others. The challenge to instructors, of course, is to keep the entire group on task and engaged through constant contact and feedback.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
I have taken several blended classes, and to be honest with you, I prefer one or the other, either all online, or all in-class. There are several disadvantages of blended classes that are discussed in the material. For example, in a blended course, I still had to travel to a the school to receive instruction. I spent the same money is gasoline, and nearly the same amount of time. A one-hour difference being in the classroom is not significant in my mind. I prefer on-ground classes for some topics (i.e., law studies) because I do not believe that the law can be learned on-line.
Donald L. Buresh
