Building Learning Communities with Hybrid Courses NMC Online Conference on Social Computing November 2004 Robert Kaleta and Alan Aycock University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Session Presenters Bob Kaleta Alan Aycock

Session Overview 1.Hybrid definition and description 2.Social interaction in hybrid courses 3.Role of asynchronous discussion forums 4.Hybrid assignment demonstration 5.Pedagogical advantages 6.Lessons learned

Hybrid Course Description Definition Partially online courses where significant portions of the course learning activities are online and face-to-face classroom time has been reduced. Partially online Partially face-to-face

Hybrid Course Description Terminology Hybrid Blended Opportunity Hybrid courses provide an opportunity to combine the best elements of face-to-face instruction with the best aspects of distance education

Basic Hybrid Description Students Spend more time working individually and collaboratively on assignments, projects, and activities Faculty Spend less time lecturing and more time reviewing and evaluating student work and guiding and interacting with students

Hybrid Courses & Community Initial concerns of faculty Fewer face-to-face meetings Less social interaction with students Will not know students as well Will not feel connected to students Will have less discussion Less social interaction between students

Hybrid Courses & Community Hybrid course outcomes More interaction with students Greater student participation in discussion Online and in class Know students better Academically and personally Feel more connected to students More interaction between students

Hybrid Courses & Community Why is there greater social interaction? More opportunities for interaction Asynchronous discussion forums Face-to-face discussion Small group work Online Face-to-face Online chat

Hybrid Courses & Community Course redesign is critical Must build-in opportunities for interaction Must provide guidance and parameters Must incorporate in assessment plan Must integrate with face-to-face component

Asynchronous Discussion Forums Most common online activity in courses Stable technology that is easy to use Permanent threaded record of submissions and interaction Removes or reduces problems with group work Reduces many social and cultural factors that inhibit face-to-face discussion

Hybrid Course Assignment Anthropology of Religion Senior-level course students 1/3 Online 2/3 face-to-face

Hybrid Assignment Design “Closing the loop” Rehearsal Reflection Sharing Responding Debriefing

Pedagogical Advantages Students must participate Students address one another directly Threads allow complex issues to be systematically discussed and reviewed Time for students to reflect Stimulates in-class discussion

Hybrid Courses & Community Asynchronous discussion forums Lessons learned Frame the discussion Identify the instructor’s voice Keep the conversation going Assess learning outcomes and learning process Integrate with face-to-face component

Contact Information Learning Technology Center University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Alan Aycock Robert Kaleta