1. Hybrid Courses a blueprint for success
Patricia S. Rahmlow
Assistant Professor, Computer Science
Montgomery County Community College
Blue Bell, PA

2. Background Undergraduate: BS Math, Ursinus College
Graduate: MBA, St. Joseph’s University
Experience
Computer Industry: 20 years in various positions including programming, customer support and marketing
Academic: MCCC since January 1998
Online: Spring 2000 (approximately 30 sections to date)
Hybrid: Fall 2003 (4 sections to date)
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3. Burning Questions?
What one question do you want answered today about hybrid courses?
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4. What?
Is your definition of a hybrid course?
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5. Why? Why do you want to teach a hybrid course?
Why do students want to take a hybrid course?
Why should you teach a hybrid course?
Why should students take a hybrid course?
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6. How? How often will you meet? Why did you choose this time frame?
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7. What? What part of your course will be online?
What part of your course will be outside of the classroom?
What types of support materials are available to the student for out of classroom learning?
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8. Help? How often will you be available to the student?
What mechanism will be available for student-to-student help?
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9. What is a hybrid course?
A blended course using technology to help achieve your goals
An approach to teaching that replaces some in-class activities with online activities
Instruction that is highly structured but still flexible
Teaching that is more learner focused than face-to-face courses
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10. Advantages – Faculty More material can be covered
You can do the teaching you really want to but never had time to do
Focus on more interesting / complicated topics in classroom
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11. Advantages – Students
Student’s pace can be personalized to match their progress
Weaker students can receive more of faculty’s attention
Stronger students can be released from events they do not need to participate in
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12. Advantages – Students Face-to-face communication
Exposure to learning environment prevalent in workplace
Exposure to communication methods prevalent in workplace
Extra help before taking completely online course
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13. Disadvantages – Faculty
Faculty must do more planning
Faculty must monitor goals
Faculty must learn to see things in a new way
Faculty must question their own premises
Faculty must be available outside of traditional work hours
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14. Disadvantages – Students
Students must understand what is being done
Students must be motivated
Students must be able to manage their time
Students must be technically competent
Students must ask for help
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15. Where do you begin? Analyze what you do
Determine what you don’t enjoy doing
Decide what you can do better
Define student needs
Identify what students can complete without your immediate help
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16. Analyze what you do Lecture Demonstration Discussions Lab exercises
Field trips
Guest speakers
Web quests
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17. Determine what you don’t enjoy doing
What parts of teaching do you just plain wish you didn’t have to do?
What parts of your teaching are rote?
What parts are you extraneous to?
What parts do you have so well documented that they can stand alone?
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18. Decide what you can do better
What topics need more time in the classroom?
What topics are better in a conference mode?
What additional topics would you like to cover?
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19. Define student needs
What are student’s weaknesses that curriculum does not address?
What would enable students to better use their time?
What would allow student’s to focus on their interests or specialties?
Do students need multiple evaluation strategies to demonstrate their mastery of the material?
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20. Identify what students can complete without your immediate help
Group projects
Group discussions
Mini-research projects
Group research projects
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21. What do the experts say? Cynthia Villanti
Mohawk Valley Community College
Hybrid courses enable a balance between faculty-centered and student-centered models
Maintain face-to-face learning environment including non-verbal communication
All communication skills are developed – verbal (speaking and listening) and written (reading and writing)
Hybrid can increase student retention
On-campus assessment addresses honesty concerns
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22. What do the experts say? University of Southern Indiana
Students and faculty in hybrid courses faced the greatest challenges (compared to online and face-to-face)
Difficulties not due to course design
Hybrid courses take more work from the student
Hybrid courses take more coaching from faculty
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23. What do the experts say? University of Southern Indiana
Switching modes causes confusion
Out of sight, out of mind
Different number of meetings for various hybrid courses
Advising problems with determining whether a student is a good candidate for a hybrid course
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24. What do the experts say? University of Southern Indiana
Online part is sometimes superficial
Instructors active in classroom discussion, not usually in online discussion
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25. MCCC Courses Fall 2004 Total sections: 1847 Online sections: 92
One to ten credits
Any day or time
Online sections: 92
Hybrid sections: 6
Telecourses: 14
Face-to-face sections: 1741
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26. MCCC Courses Disciplines Faculty Training / Course Development
Computer Science
Education
Engineering
Faculty Training / Course Development
Online training
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27. Resources Richard D. Greenwood Professor of English, MCCC
Faculty Focus Newsletter Saxon G. Reasons at
AFT – On Campus
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28. Examples
CIS110 Hybrid
CIS114 Hybrid
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29. Questions
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