1. HYBRID TEACHING WITH IVLE: Faculty Members’ Common Practices, and Identified Strengths and Limitations
Myla M. Arcinas
Assistant Professor
Behavioral Sciences Department
De La Salle University-Manila, Philippines

2. In 'Virtually There', a book and DVD pack distributed freely to schools by the Yorkshire and Humber Grid for Learning Foundation (YHGfL), Professor Stephen Heppell writes in the foreword:
"Learning is breaking out of the narrow boxes that it was trapped in during the 20th century; teachers' professionalism, reflection and ingenuity are leading learning to places that genuinely excite this new generation of connected young school students — and their teachers too. VLEs are helping to make sure that their learning is not confined to a particular building, or restricted to any single location or moment."

3. HYBRID TEACHING WITH IVLE: Faculty Members’ Common Practices, and Identified Strengths and Limitations
Myla M. Arcinas
Assistant Professor
Behavioral Sciences Department
De La Salle University-Manila, Philippines

4. Outline of Presentation
Defining Hybrid Teaching, IVLE and its Features
Hybrid Teaching with IVLE at DLSU
Methodology
Results
Hybrid Teaching with IVLE - Common Practices of the Faculty
Strengths of Hybrid Teaching with IVLE
Limitations of Using Hybrid Teaching with IVLE
Analysis and Major Lessons Learned
Conclusions

5. Technological Advancement and Hybrid Teaching
The daily environment has become more computerized than ever before.
The advancement in technology influences the growth of education and its approaches and methods of instruction -
HYBRID TEACHING
is a form of instruction which combines face-to-face and online teaching approaches (also known as the mixed or blended teaching)
Its goal is to pair the best features of face-to-face teaching with the best options of online learning to promote quality, active and independent learning and reduce class seat time.

6. HYBRID TEACHING
as a way of making students experiencing activities outside the classroom with the help of the technology supporting students’ learning
Hybrid teaching is an approach in which a significant portion (30% - <50%) of the teaching activities have been moved online and time traditionally spent in the classroom is reduced but not eliminated.

7. Learning Environment (IVLE)
Integrated Virtual
Learning Environment (IVLE)
is an innovative courseware management system designed and developed by the Wizlearn Pte Ltd, to manage and support teaching, learning and courseware management over the Internet.
It allows the teachers to use a mixed teaching style, that is face-to-face interaction (FTF or F2F) such as in-class discussions, active group work, and live lectures with a web-based educational technologies (IVLE) such as online course cartridges, assignments, discussion boards, online assessment and other web-assisted learning tools.
Regardless of the design, hybrid courses may be expected to deliver instruction in both an asynchronous and synchronous manner.

8. Learning Environment (IVLE)
Integrated Virtual
Learning Environment (IVLE)
The IVLE has all the most basic applications needed for online course delivery. Below are the main features of IVLE
Module Website (syllabus) and FAQ
Lesson Plan
Workbin (to post lecture notes, upload assignments, reading material, etc.)
Discussion Forum and Chat Room Sections
Online assessment
Announcement Board and Distribution List
Group Project, Multimedia and Survey Tool/Template
Electronic communication has reduced the world into a global village. The speed of information exchange between distant locations is in real time. Most higher learning institutions worldwide operate in the online environment to educate students and professionals alike.
In collaboration with the National University of Singapore, De La Salle University’s ASIST (formerly CREM) provides faculty members the online learning system IVLE.

9. HYBRID TEACHING with IVLE at De La Salle University
is a Catholic private
university located in
Taft Avenue in the
district of Malate in
Manila, run by the
Brothers of the Christian
Schools.
IVLE was initially shared by DLSU with the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) in 2000, but limited only for the graduate students. In 2005, the use of IVLE was expanded to the undegraduate level to support the nstitutionalization of hybrid courses (A91) in the University .

10. HYBRID TEACHING with IVLE at De La Salle University
IVLE was initially shared by DLSU with the
University of the Philippines Open University
(UPOU) in 2000, but limited only for the
graduate students. In 2005, the use of IVLE
was expanded to the undegraduate level to
support the institutionalization of hybrid
courses (A91) in the University .

11. HYBRID TEACHING with IVLE at De La Salle University
Guidelines on Hybrid Classes
Guidelines on Hybrid Classes
HYBRID TEACHING with IVLE at De La Salle University
Guidelines on Hybrid Classes
The course/section has been designated as hybrid
(eg. A91, C91) during enrollment;
2. The course will be conducted by a CREM-certified
faculty member;
3. At least half of the total number of hours for the
term will be used for classroom sessions;
4. The schedule of on-line class sessions is specified
in the course syllabus and submitted to the
Office of the University Registrar within the
first week of the term;
No online sessions will be scheduled and/or
conducted within the first two (2) weeks of the term;

12. METHODOLOGY HYBRID TEACHING WITH IVLE:
Faculty Members’ Common Practices, and
Identified Strengths and Limitations
Used a descriptive-qualitative research design
Interview method; interview guide was developed for the purpose of the study (combination of structure items and open-ended questions); descriptive statistics (frequency and percentages) and content analysis were used to analyze the data
50 faculty members were selected via purposive sampling technique

13. COMMON PRACTICES ON THE USE OF HYBRID TEACHING WITH IVLE

14. COMMON PRACTICES: Module Design
To provide collaborative, teaching and learning tools and resources , the IVLE
Needs to create and prepare the module before the term starts. The majority of the faculty expressed that hybrid teaching requires more time and effort, both for the preparation and management of the module, most of them recognized that once set, it is very convenient, practical, and a more systematic way of managing one’s course/subject.

15. COMMON PRACTICES: IVLE – Usage AY 2005-2011
Features
College
Total
Rank
CBE
CED
CCS
COE
CLA
COS
 Workbin
149
345 22
134
172
120
942 1
 Assessment
116
108 33 50
236
127
670 2
 Discussion Forum 99
276 32 18
171 49
645 3
 Chat Room
100
136 13 19
126 28
422 4
 Lesson Plan 25 38 11 31 6
115 5
 Module FAQ 9 42
 Multimedia 16 41 7
 Survey 24 34 8
 GradeBook
 Project 10

16. COMMON PRACTICES: Usage of the IVLE features/tools
To provide collaborative, teaching and learning tools and resources , the IVLE
Serves as an archive/repository of lectures notes, readings, activities, submission, etc (workbin #1)
Makes the design, administration and checking of exams easy, but limits them to give objective exams , following the IVLE format (assessment tool #2)

17. COMMON PRACTICES: Usage of the IVLE features/tools
To provide collaborative, teaching and learning tools and resources , the IVLE
Provides tools very useful to teaching and learning processes, which enriches and broadens the students' learning experience with the DF and Chat room (#3 and #4); most of them use it in an asynchronous format.
Needs to come to class prepared, following the topic and activities posted in the calendar of activities, posted online

18. COMMON PRACTICES: Usage of the IVLE features/tools
To provide collaborative, teaching and learning tools and resources , the IVLE
Serves as a communication tool and correspondence tool with students, thus less reminders and instruction done in the classroom (lesson plan, module and announcement tool #5)
Allows easy monitoring of student’s performance, less effort to check attendance and submissions are posted online (log-in system, gradebook, #9)

19. COMMON PRACTICES: Delivery and Performance
To provide collaborative, teaching and learning tools and resources , the faculty
Needs to come to class prepared, following the topic and activities posted in the calendar of activities, posted online
Sets a good blend/mix of FTF/F2F instruction and use of online/web teaching

20. STRENGTHS

21. STRENGTHS: Better organization of course materials on the web
Facilitates the organization of course materials on the web
(syllabus, lesson plan, workbin with separate folder for lecture notes, assignments, reading materials etc, repositories of responses for discussion forums, online chat, auto marked quizzes)
Faculty expressed full appreciation of its use as its efficiently organize the teaching of the course (93%).
Also, faculty articulated that the IVLE proved to be successful in terms of serving its purpose of making their academic activities more systematized (96%), and also for the students (94%).

22. STRENGTHS: A powerful learning environment
With IVLE (in hybrid teaching), courses published online - with its discussion forums, chat rooms, quiz management, assignment repositories, subscription services, and distribution lists, the teachers experience a powerful teaching-learning environment for supplementing classroom teaching-learning thus reducing classtime (91%).

23. STRENGTHS: Appreciation of New ways of thinking about teaching
Moving away from the pure transmissive –lecture type of teaching where the teacher and the students have to be both physically present in the classroom
Hybrid teaching with IVLE is a creative way of using the mixed or blended teaching. 96% of the faculty appreciated the approach. In this era where students are techno savvy, teachers have to learn to reach the world of its learners.

24. STRENGTHS: Teaching performance improved
Impact on teaching performance (TPE for hybrid classes – 4.76)
More flexible course format (67%)
Opens new possibilities
More activities could be performed and more learning centered (78%)
more activities
More interaction and discussion (89%)
Greater engagement of the teachers- students

25. ." STRENGTHS: A more collaborative, participatory, and interactive approach to learning
Given limited time in the classroom, with students, the Discussion Forum and the Chat Sections - allow opportunities for the students to post their views/opinions/position about an issue (92%). Students and teachers can actively post what they have in mind thus not limiting learning within the class time
Posting of queries, ideas and comments on a topic discussed or to be discussed made easy (Discussion Forum Tool )

26. STRENGTHS: Quality use of time inside the classroom
IVLE permits quality use of time inside the classroom (89%) (processing of outputs and integration ideas are done in the classroom) , as assignments, group work activities, discussion forum questions and insights are posted online and maybe accomplished outside the classroom

27. STRENGTHS: Access anywhere, any time
From the faculty members’ point of view, the big motivator (for using IVLE is easy access (94%) anywhere and anytime
"Since the DLSU campus provides internet access ports in classrooms, labs, and common areas, the faculty and students can get to IVLE from anywhere and at any time. "This means they can work from home, tend to spend less time on campus.“
"Being able to get to IVLE from home, over the Internet, is great, because I get a lo t of work done at home.“ (Era)
"With IVLE , faculty can access almost all manner of course material from literally anywhere in the world."

28. STRENGTHS: Saving time for everyone
IVLE is a time-saver in many ways. By providing a quick and easy way to download lecture notes and reading materials, read lesson plan, announcements and exam schedules, and other materials.
Majority of the faculty expressed that the IVLE is convenient and practical.
Faculty saves time to explain instructions or to answer questions coming from the students (86%) .
Also, the faculty allows the students have more time to read the material before the class (84%) ."

29. STRENGTHS: User friendly
They found its use to be very easy and simple (87%). Trainings and a tutorial session on its use are available online.
e.g. Designing one’s module is easy. They also expressed appreciation of ease of uploading & downloading teacher’s lecture notes; reading materials as well as downloading assignments of the students
"It's very simple to upload and download materials online. With the use of IVLE, Reyes reports "I didn't need to learn anything special, and in a minute I can easily upload the lecture notes , readings as well as structures learning activities.

31. Click the Workbin link of the course.

32. Click the download icon or the name of the file that you want to download.

33. Choose “Open the file from its current location” and click OK.
Ponder: If the File Download window re-appear, just follow the instructions above.

34. When the file opens completely, click on “File” then select “Save As…”

35. Choosing “Save As” will allow you to save the file in the computer’s hard disk.

36. ." STRENGTHS: Communicating more efficiently and effectively
the communication benefits of IVLE are plentiful.
(88% ) Posting reminders, guidelines for assignments, feedback for an assignment or a probject submitted, easy correspondence
The Announcement Board, Class Management & Distribution List, and Active Messaging - allow opportunities for the teacher to communicate with the students even outside the classroom (be it individual, target group, or the entire class)

37. STRENGTHS: Communicating is more efficiently and effectively
81% found the discussion forum is a vehicle for encouraging some forms of creative expression.
The DF tool contribute to better for academic exchange and discourse, posting in the discussion forum is good.
78% of the teachers expressed that they use the nnouncement board
It's available for any and all students to see, so I don't need to go to talk to each and every students or verbally announce to the class.”

38. STRENGTHS: Transparency in the the communication
Hybrid teaching facilitates a process that allows an effective combination of different modes of delivery, models of teaching and styles of learning, and founded on transparent communication amongst all parties involved with a course. (Heinze and Procter, 2006)

39. ." STRENGTHS: Easy monitoring or tracking of students (individual & group) performance in class
Compared to traditional (paper and pen) exams/tests, the e-assessment or online exam simplifies the process of designing, administering and checking an exam (90%).
faculty expressed that - “… result is immediately posted online (95%) (with score and ranking).”
The IVLE also serves as repository of exam results (& assignments, projects, activity outputs), thus allows easy tracking of student’s academic performance (92%)

40. STRENGTHS: Empowers each faculty to be more engaged to research and community development work
Faculty members in DLSU-Manila, are not just teaching faculty but research faculty by definition. This means that teaching via hybrid approach allows one to have time to do other things aside from teaching in the classroom (as seen in the traditional approach).
Effective planning of the module (scheduling activities ) is imperative in the process.

41. STRENGTHS: More appealing and teaching is seen as a “fun” experience
In terms of interaction, most (97%) of the faculty seemed to find lessons in the IVLE more appealing and seen to give them “fun” experience as a teachers.
“IVLE appeals to the faculty and gives them a “fun” experience , because it is interactive in nature.” Era
but the interviews also showed that this does not necessarily mean that they were more interested in those lessons when they are taught through IVLE rather than the traditional face-to-face interaction.

42. LIMITATIONS

43. LIMITATIONS: Teacher’s role
Majority (88%) felt that the effective use of IVLE in the hybrid teaching approach still depends on the teacher
“The teacher remains to be the main actor that controls what features of IVLE will be used and how it will make the lessons and discussions interesting.” Manlagnit
The teacher’s role in designing the hybrid course, defining the content to be covered and activities, as well in putting into action the hybrid teaching remains crucial to its success.

44. LIMITATIONS: Continuous Faculty Development Program
Teachers’ must continue to receive trainings to learn to manage their hybrid classes and teach online
Facilitating online learning community
Anticipating issues and problems
Overcoming apprehensions

45. LIMITATIONS: Faculty should be more familiar with the IVLE
Faculty member’ ‘ familiarity on the use, functions and features of IVLE is a must for hybrid teaching to be effective
Non-familiarity hinders optimum use of IVLE
Most (87%) felt the need to make them have a more active role in the learning process of the students, in this internet era

46. LIMITATIONS: Issue on Preparing Students
Student problems
Inadequate time management skills
Difficulty accepting responsibility for learning
Difficulty with more sophisticated technologies
Break down and phase in longer assignments
Time management tips
Prepare technology help sheets

47. LIMITATIONS: Less physical person-to-person interaction
Majority (73%) expressed that direct physical person-to-person interaction (teacher-student) is still important in effective learning process.
One of the goals of hybrid instruction is to lessen time for classroom meeting, thus less direct physical person-to-person interaction

48. LIMITATIONS: Technological-technical difficulties
hardware, software and technology requirements
bandwidth/browser limitations may restrict instructional methodologies
limited bandwidth means slower performance for sound, video, and intense graphics
64% expressed that access to "Integrated Virtual Learning Environment" (IVLE), at times, is difficult outside the campus

49. Major Lessons/ Conclusions
Course-Module Design
As course-module designers, the teachers creativity define the ways to use the features of IVLE and to make it more appealing to its primary users, the students. The teachers role to design a hybrid course to be effective and interesting is a big challenge. Combining or converging the best of 2 worlds, traditional-classroom and web-internet settings, requires monetary support from the DLSU administration to continuously train/motivate the faculty.
Time and motivation/commitment on the part of the faculty to design a quality module that will improve student’s learning are critical in the process.

50. Major Lessons/ Conclusions
Delivery and Teaching Performance
The use of IVLE is seen to be highly functional,
practical, time saver, and user friendly.
Quality of classroom meetings improved; Teaching performance also improved
Teacher-Students engagement and interaction improved; Hybrid teaching allows teaching as a fun/happy experience.

51. Major Lessons/ Conclusions
Teaching Performance
In the effective and efficient delivery of a hybrid course, the faculty’s role is crucial. A faculty who may be effective in traditional classroom-based setting may not automatically be effective in handling a hybrid course without the appropriate training (Levenburg & Major, 2000). Under a hybrid mode of instruction, a faculty is not just to teach or impart knowledge thru lectures but should also act as a facilitator .

52. Major Lessons/ Conclusions
Technical Concerns
Updating the IVLE courseware may also be done to make it more relevant to the changing times
Examples :
Bigger capacity to upload files beyond 15Mb (for projects, videos )
There are features of the IVLE that are nolonger functional given adjustments in the Registrar’s records and filing (from student number to fullname as username)
Replacing the old computers in the E-classsrooms for faster & easy access

53. HYBRID TEACHING with IVLE at De La Salle University
“Teaching is performance, teaching is theater, teaching is a medium focused on students. Classrooms per se must be active learning places and technology can be fun, interactive and user-friendly. ”
Mike Rapatan, Ph.D
Education, Columbia University.
Professor & Director , Center for Educational Multimedia (CREM) -DLSU

54. THANK YOU!