Hybrid Courses
What are “hybrid” courses?
“Hybrids” are courses that blend face-to-face classroom instruction with online learning. What does that look like? Typically around half of the time that you would spend in class will now take place online.
What are the benefits?
- Hybrid courses allow students more flexible scheduling, while still giving them the face-to-face contact with the instructor and classmates. This means you can ask your professor questions in person, you will get reminders from your professor, and you will get to know your classmates online and in person. In order to be successful as a hybrid student, you will need to learn some organizational and time-management skills.
- If you are less comfortable speaking in class, online discussions can help give you a chance to make your points in your own time and find your voice in the face-to-face class.
- Hybrids help students learn! The U.S. Department of Education “Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning” analyzed thousands of individual pieces of research regarding the effectiveness of online, hybrid, and face-to-face learning and overall found the hybrid environment to be the most effective.
What would I do in a hybrid course?
Your instructor will provide details in the Canvas course site regarding what classwork will be required in class and what work will be required online. If you have never taken an online course before, online materials and learning activities vary, but could include activities such as online discussions, small group work, games, simulations, quizzing, creating a concept map, student presentations, or video lectures. Since the course will take place online and face-to-face you will benefit from interacting with the content, the instructor, and your classmates in many different kinds of ways.
What kinds of students could specifically benefit from a hybrid course?
- Students who are interested in active learning, both in the classroom and online.
- Students who have significant work or family commitments and need more flexibility in their schedules.
- Students who prefer to be in class with the instructor and other students, instead of purely online.
- Students who have struggled to schedule all of their courses so that they can stay on track for their desired graduation date.