Cathy Simpson, Director Technology Applications Center Patrice Fleck, Project Director MERLOT Conference 2006 Illuminating Hybrid Course Development Seminar with MERLOT Learning Objects

Session Objectives Share how NOVA team developed hybrid seminar that has instructed 110 faculty across 34 disciplines to develop 65 hybrid course repositories Demonstrate how MERLOT collection was key resource for several course concepts Explore how MERLOT peer review model was used to design peer review process for hybrid courses.

Establishing a Community Who We Are Who Are You?

About NVCC Largest community college of 23 in Virginia Community College System – 6 campuses Located in the Washington, D.C. suburbs 59,500 credit students annually (unduplicated) 24,500 non-credit students annually (unduplicated) 5,500 students in distance learning courses 345 distance learning courses offered 292 hybrid courses offered currently

NVCC Student Body/Faculty Student Body 52% between 18 and 24 years of age 54% female and 46% male 52% Caucasian, 16% African American, 13% Asian, 11% Hispanic, 8% other International students from 184 countries Faculty 524 Full Time 1,037 Part Time

Exploring the NOVA Hybrid Course Development Project

What is a Hybrid Course at NOVA? Courses where a significant portion of the learning activities are moved online and time spent in the classroom is reduced but not eliminated. They blend in-class teaching and online learning. Synchronous Face-to-Face Classroom and Asynchronous Online Learning Virtual, Synchronous Face-to-Face Classroom and Asynchronous Online Learning

Types of Hybrid Courses Synchronous Face-to-Face Classroom and Asynchronous Online Learning Virtual, Synchronous Face-to-Face Classroom and Asynchronous Online Learning Variety of Combinations of Classroom and Online Emphasis: 67/33; 60/40; 50/50; 40/60; 33/67

Hybrid Course Development Seminar Goals Familiarize faculty with learning theory and best practice of hybrid and online instruction Assist faculty in re-imagining and re-designing their course Conduct hands-on hybrid course design and development training Assist faculty in using Blackboard, eMEETING, MERLOT and other pedagogical tools in delivering their hybrid courses Establish collegial and interactive network among various faculty developing hybrid courses Develop learning community for faculty teaching hybrid courses

Hybrid Course Development Seminar Objectives 1.Define hybrid courses 2.Apply learning theory to hybrid course design 3.Identify and apply best practices for hybrid courses 4.Experience using tools that include Blackboard, eNOVA/eMEETING, wikis, MERLOT, and webquests 5.Create effective blended course activities 6.Participate in peer review process

7. Collaborate to write clear learning objectives 8.Design overall plan for assessing student learning in course 9.Develop and manage online discussions 10.Design and implement hybrid course repository

MERLOT and the Hybrid Course Development Seminar

General Information about Seminar Design Is a hybrid course Offered in 10 sessions over summer Coordinated by faculty director with support from TAC and ELI Used Blackboard, eMEETING, , and MERLOT Invited guest experts to participate Incorporated interaction through discussion forums and group work Produced discipline specific hybrid repositories

Hybrid Course Repository – Set-up Folders & Provide Some Content Announcement Course Information Getting Started Gen Ed Goals Attendance Policy Plagiarism Statement Netiquette Statement Role of Student

Assignments Folders Discussion Board with Directions Introductions Q & A Cyber Café Resources College Resources

MERLOT and Course Menu Course Information Assignments Resources Hybrid Course Development Resources MERLOT Learning Material Repository Teaching and Learning with Technology Resources MERLOT Teaching and Technology Portal

Purpose for Incorporating MERLOT Learning Materials into Seminar Design As strategy for understanding of course concepts As model of best practice As example of learning material developed to offer variety of learning opportunities to meet various learning styles As means to apply learning theory to hybrid course design As model for peer review

MERLOT Learning Materials Used in Assignments The Learning Objects Portal MERLOT Tasting Room (About Us) Video Overview of MERLOT Three Hybrid Definition Learning Materials Parade of Games in PowerPoint Active Learning with PowerPoint Evaluation Criteria for Peer Reviews of MERLOT Learning Materials MERLOT Teaching/Learning Portal

Developing Successful Blended Activities Visualize the blended activity process Model effective blended activity Develop additional training course

F2F Instruction Online Experience(s) or Interactions F2F Activity or Coaching Online Experience(s) or Interaction F2F Performance and Feedback Online Feedback

Assignment Four Complete online Learning Object Activity. Type MERLOT URL – – into your browser and enter Learning Object Activity in Search box. Or click URL to access Learning Objects Portal. Click Information in first box in upper left. Select approach that best suits way you learn to explore information on learning objects. Be prepared to share what you learned about learning objects at our next face-to-face session.

Assignment Five By end of session, you will have completed the following in your Discipline-specific Blackboard Hybrid Repository: reviewed content already in site and modified or removed any as needed. added one Course Objective to site related to learning assignment you will add to site. Reviewing goals and/or objectives listed in Course Content Summary for your course will help you to identify and expand course goals and/or objectives for your course - Identified learning assignment that you will develop. Remember learning assignment should be related to course objective that you added in step two of this process.

MERLOT Learning Object Learning Objects Portal

Assignment During and After the eNOVA/eMEETING Session Part of session will focus on learning how to use eNOVA as teaching and learning tool. During remainder of the session, you will explore MERLOT, a learning materials repository. Please review MERLOT web site prior to attending session - After attending session, identify one learning material in MERLOT to develop into learning activity in your discipline-specific repository. Be prepared to share your choice at next face-to-face session.

eMEETING Participant Screen

Peer Review Process for Hybrid Repositories Based on three general categories of evaluation standards used within MERLOT: Quality of Content Learning Objectives Learning Activities Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching-Learning Tool Opportunity for Interaction Course Support Ease of Use Getting Started Navigation Organization

Exploring Short Online Training Courses: MERLOT 101 Online and Adapting to Learning Styles

MERLOT 101 Online: Building a Collection of Online Learning Materials Major Assignments for three week course: Who we are and why we are here Familiarization with MERLOT Creating a MERLOT Member Profile Searching and Browsing MERLOT Starting a MERLOT Personal Collection Building a MERLOT Learning Assignment (optional)

Troubleshooting is: Identifying trouble spots and developing solutions Anticipating problems Measuring specific difficulties Adapting/creating interventions Maintaining an ongoing feedback cycle

Principles and Practices Course Design and Developing Blended Activities Setting Class Expectations Managing Non-productive students and class climate

Questions