1. Making the Blend: Shifting to a Hybrid
Approach
Dr. Patricia McGee
Patricia.mcgee@utsa.edu
January 21, 2010
Texas A&M San Antonio
2. An Overview
1. Defining Blended
2. The Learner
3. Models and Design
4. Quality does Matter
5. Technology & Resources
3. Getting to know you…
Group into like disciplines
Two groups: 1) have taught blended (2) have not taught
blended
Line up in order of number of pieces of technology you
carry with you from least to most.
Line up in order of how comfortable you are with
teaching with technology from least to most.
4. I am best at groups:
Teaching
Technology
Designing Curriculum
6. Proportion of Content Type of Typical Description
Delivered Online Course
Traditional Course with no online technology used —
0% content is delivered in writing or orally.
Web Course which uses web-based technology to
1 to 29% facilitate what is essentially a face-to-face
Facilitated
course. Uses a course management system
(CMS) or web pages to post the syllabus and
assignments, for example.
30 to 79% Blended/Hyb Course that blends online and face-
rid to-face delivery. Substantial
proportion of the content is delivered
online, typically uses online
discussions, and typically has some
face-to-face meetings.
Online A course where most or all of the content is
80+% delivered online. Typically have no face-to-
face meetings.
Pew
7. Workforce Blended/Hybrid
Two or more forms of distinct methods of instruction, such as
Classroom + online (traditional blended)
Online + mentor or coach (e.g., independent study)
Simulations with structured classes (e.g., Second Life™ and FTF)
On-the-job training + informal learning (e.g.., internships)
Managerial coaching + eLearning (e.g., practicum)
(Maisie, 2002, p. 59)
8. Trends in blended
50-70% + institutions
offer blended
Women participate and
succeed in
blended/online courses
at a higher rate than do
men
Web 2.0 and mobile
tech have higher level
of integration that in F2F
9. • Contact time
Institutional • Policies
Challenges • Wrong reasons
• New models
• Course and a half
Instructor • Reliance on F2F
Challenges • Replicate F2F pedagogy
• Course „fit‟
• Readiness
Learner • Autonomy and engagement
Challenges • Technology abilities
• Supports
10. What blended is NOT
NOT traditional “distance education” courses
Integrate face-to-face and online/outside of class
components
NOT simply traditional classes with a Web site
Online or outside of class time replaces some
classroom time
NOT just transferring information to the Web
Involves an extensive course redesign
NOT all alike
Many different formats and schedules are possible
12. Learner Benefits
Connectedness
Extended cognitive engagement
More effective use of traditional class
time
Increased participation
Learn more
Write better, more meaningful
discussions
Better mastery of concepts and
application of learning
Improved higher-order skills
13. Two sides of blended
Appeal Challenges
Working students, family Readiness
care givers
Autonomy and
Autonomy and engagement
responsibility
Technology abilities
More connections with
peers and instructor Supports
14. UCF: A Case Study
48.9%+ (26,971) of all UCF students
take at least 1 fully online or blended
course
Consistently high
satisfaction levels
with courses
16. Some characteristics
Matures (prior to 1946) Generation X (1965-1980)
Dedicated to a job Work to live
they take on • Clear & consistent
Respectful of authority expectations
Place duty before • Value contributing to the
pleasure whole
Baby boomers (1946- Millennials (1981-1994)
1964) • Live in the moment
Live to work • Expect immediacy of
Generally optimistic technology
Influence on policy & Earn money for immediate
products
consumption
17. The generations in
blended courses
60%
54%
50%
40%
Percent
33%
30%
20%
15%
10%
1%
0%
Mature Boomer Gen X Millennial
(N=18,732)
18. Students very satisfied
with BL by generation
60% 57%
50%
41%
40%
Percent
33%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Boomer Gen X Millennial
(N=491)
19. Changed approach to learning
by generation
60%
50%
50%
40% 38%
Percent
30%
20%
20%
10%
0%
Boomer Gen X Millennial
(N=491)
20. Web definitely made
interaction easier
60%
50%
42%
40%
35%
Percent
30%
20%
12%
10%
0%
Boomer Gen X Millennial
(N=491)
24. What does this mean for us?
Careful attention to learner
preparedness and
preparation
Careful organization and
explanation of course
Careful selection of scope
of course content and
activities
Careful setting of course
standards and
expectations
26. Biggest challenges
Building a course and a half
Reliance on F2F
Replicating F2F pedagogy
Course „fit‟ for blended design
27. Starting with the
1. Course objectives?
2. FTF or online?
3. Challenge & engage?
4. Asynchronous?
5. The blend of FTF &
online?
6. Stay on task?
7. % of breakdown
8. Weight of FTF & Online?
9. Support &
maintenance?
10.Course and a half?
p. 2
30. What is the % blend?
University of Central
Florida mix of study
modes
pure distance
face-to-face
between 90–10 and
10–90 (Brown, 2001) .
Time per course
(semester): 90-135 hours
31. Start with objectives
What students are expected to be able to do by the end
of the course
High level objectives:
Create a readable geographical map
Write a clear, coherent and well supported narrative
Use parts of speech and writing conventions to express
ideas, opinions, and arguments
Solve algebraic equations correctly
Defend decisions about legal actions
32. Starting with what you do now
• Handout: Mapping your Course
• Start with general objectives that are key to
the course
• Note activities & assignments that are
associated with these objectives:
– How could these be conducted in alternative
ways?
– What can the learner do to actively learn?
• Notealternatives for assessment
• How can meetings, activities, assignments &
assessments be connected in different
modes?
p. 8
34. Blended courses may…
◦ Lead to using more
participatory and
student-centered
learning activities
◦ Transform the teacher-
student relationship to
be more centered on
student learning
◦ Transform the instructor
role to be more
facilitative and learner-
centered
35. Design 1st eMail Chat Online Discussion Last
Principles class Quizzes class
FTF FTF
1. Student -
Faculty
X X X X
Design by Activity
Interaction
2. Student-
Student
X X X X
Interaction
3. Active
Learning
X X X X X
4. Prompt
Feedback
X X X X
5. Time on
Task
X
6. High
Expectations
X
7. Respect
Diverse
X
Talents
Marjorie Martyn
36. Hyflex Principles
Principle 1 – Learner Choice: Provide meaningful
alternative participation modes and enable students to
choose between participation modes weekly (or topically).
Principle 2 – Equivalency: Provide equivalent learning
activities in all participation modes.
Principle 3 – Reusability: Utilize artifacts from learning
activities in each participation mode as learning resources
(“learning objects”) for all students.
Principle 4 – Accessibility: Equip students with technology
skills and enable full access to instructional resources and
activities in all participation modes.
Brian Beatty, SFU
38. BabsonCollegeFastTrack MBA
Partnership with IBM
Organization:
50% F2F
30% online team collaboration
20% viewing content-rich DVD-based lectures and
presentations
Tools: Blackboard™, Elluminate™, blogs, wikis, Turnitin™
plagiarism deterrent, and Brownstone™ assessment tools
Faculty participation is publicly rewarded
39. George Mason University -
ClassroomPlus MBA
Partnership with Northrop Grumman
Cohort meets 4 times a year
Discussion and case-based
Organization: 50% F2F and 50% online
Tools: Webex™, Blackbord™
41. SMC, Spanish 1
Class Meetings: You are expected to attend class on campus once a
week. The mandatory meeting is for face-to-face interaction and for
testing, with a quiz or an exam scheduled every week. If you cannot
attend all of the weekly meetings in their entirety, you should not be
taking this course!
Lab Requirement: To meet the lab requirement, you must arrange to log
half an hour a week at your convenience in the Language Lab. You will
be asked to access specialized language programs available in the lab
and to make and save recordings on the lab servers.
Online Activities: You are expected to visit the course websites at least
four times a week - but ideally, once a day. There you will find
assignments, lecture materials, interactive exercises and text and voice
discussions that can be accessed at your convenience, as well as chat
and conference tools for scheduled online meetings with your instructor
and your classmates.
42. ISU, School Law
Weekly, real time, problem-based chats per learning
team
Team response sent to instructor by 6 PM
Individual responses sent to instructor by 9 AM next day
Discussions over readings
Online – foundation information
In Class – complex, ill-structured
Decision-making and problem solving
Annotated web searches
Case-based challenges- presented in class
45. Online Quality Assurance
What it is What it covers
A quality assurance Course Overview &
Introduction
rubric option Learning
Step-by-step guide for Objectives/Competencie
s
development Assessment &
Checklist for Measurement
developed courses Resources & Materials
Learner Interaction
Ensure alignment Course Technology
Student perspective Learner Support
Accessibility
46. Applying the Rubric
Using the Online Course Review Rubric handout
Identify one rubric area (i.e., technology, learning
objectives, assessment)
Go to wiki and Course Examples
http://blendedcoursedesign.pbworks.com/
Review 1-2 courses to identify a best practice or strategy
Share
p. 4
48. Continuum
Synchronous Asynchronous
Decisions
Fundamental
Cohort Self-paced
Local Participants Distant Participants
Online F2F
Text-based Multi-modal
Collaborative Cooperative
Structured (formal) Unstructured (informal)
Pre-designed Learned-designed
Shaw, P. P. (2007) Towards a conceptual framework for learning. In A. Picciano& C. Dziuban (Eds). Blended learning: Research
perspectives. Sloan C.
Shank. P. (ed.) (2007). The online learning Idea book: 95 proven ways to enhance technology-based and blended learning. John Wiley
& Sons, Inc.
49. Intervals?
1. Time needed to process new information
2. Time needed to prepare processed information
3. Time needed to respond
Recommendation: Provide time estimates for
assignments and asynchronous activities.
50. Example Intervals
Principle Application
1. Time is needed to 1. Read (2 hours), watch (20
process new information min., discuss (1 hour chat)
the chapter on social
conflict (over 3 days)
2. Time is needed to
prepare processed 2. Create a Voicethread™
information that illustrates your position
on the causes of and
3. Time is needed to solutions for social conflict
respond (synchronous (1 week)
events)
3. In chat, count to 10 before
responding
54. Varied Interaction
DOING supports learning,
particularly when learning Instructor
outside of a classroom.
Interaction decreases
students' sense of isolation
while participating in a
course at a distance.
Resources Peers
Interaction can support
divergent thinking but can
hinder convergent thinking.
Social presence is related to
learning. Interaction
supports social presence. Content
(Swann, 2004)
55. Adding interaction
Review Interaction handout
Discuss ideas that you can use as part of your blend
ideas for interaction for one component
pp. 10-15
56. What happens when students lurk
http://redwing.hutman.net/~mreed/warriorshtm/lurker.htm
62. Most Blended Courses use Web 2.0
In or out of class
Provide ownership,
just-in-need access,
Typically free!
Focus: Exploration,
practice,
collaboration &
construction of
knowledge
63. What are
they? My MOST favorite
tool?
My LEAST favorite
tool?
Most CHALLENGING
tool?
64. Web 2.0 Design Process
1. Determine instructional need/objective/outcome
2. Determine what students need to do in order to:
Be exposed to material
Achieve objective
Practice
Demonstrate what they have learned
3. Select tool(s)
4. Design and development instructional steps
65. Collaborative Concept
Audioblogs Backchannel Blogs
Writing Mapping
Learning
Conference ePortfolios IM Mashups
Objects
Social Social
Podcasts Presentations RSS
Bookmarking Networking
Videocasts Video Video Editing VCOP Virtual Worlds
Vlogs Webcam Wikis
69. Based on your course activities,
consider what students are
doing
Examine tools and note those
that might work
http://elearningtools.wetpaint.c
om
EXPLORE
71. What are …
Your thoughts about blended design??
Your „perfect world‟ scenarios?
Your next steps, if any?
Notes de l'éditeur
He emphasizes four core principles: learner choice, equivalency, reusability, and accessibility. More importantly, he practices what he preaches, particularly with respect to equivalency of materials for live and online students. Hyflex was built with commuting students in mind—to increase flexibility for students who may have issues getting to every single “on ground” class (such as working adults). It provides a nice framework for thinking about how to use a course management system for both live and online students effectively. To be effective, says Dr. Beatty, LMS’s must provide materials that are relevant to both live and online students, and serve as a common repository for learning materials generated in both environments. Interactions in the live and online settings of Hyflex courses are designed to mirror one another, so that as much as they can be, the live and online environments are identical. I know, I know, you naysayers are scoffing right now that making the two exactly the same is impossible. But think about it: even if it’s not true, we continue to advance closer to this goal on a daily basis as technology develops.
