Merlot session notes: Hybrid Courses and Collaboration
- Hybrid Course
- Cathy Simpson - http://tac.nvcc.edu
- Laura Franklin - http://www.nvcc.edu/home/lfranklin
- Northern Virginia Community College
- Powerpoint online at nvcc
- a course where a significant portion of the learning activities are moved online, in addition to f2f learning
- Blended learning
- advantages
- integrate out-of-class and in-class activitites
- promotes self-directed learning
- presents learning materials in a range of formats (for various learning styles)
- promotes greater student involvement and engagement
- flexibility
- maximize physical resources
- types of hybrids
- synchronous f2f with asynchronous online
- synchronous online (centra) with asynch. online
- highest mix for a "hybrid" course is 50/60
- types of activities during course time
- didactic - lecture
- discursive - exploration
- ....
- F2F and online are "symbiotic"
- each feed each other
- classroom time acts as ice-breaker, enhancing online
- F2F --> online --> F2F coaching --> online --> F2F performance and feedback --> online feedback
- online bits could be learning objects
- online != "homework"
- Challenges?
- Time invested in course redesign
- integrating online activities with F2F meetings
- designing online activities to meet objectives
- course management
- developing new teaching strategies
- ensuring appropriate course load (don't turn it into a course-and-a-half)
- Buffet vs. meal
- let users pick the bits that are best for them
- "you can serve the best roast beef, but a vegetarian won't have a good meal"
- buffet metaphor allowed by hybrid course gets around this. Veggies get veggie. etc...
- "Hands-on is needed for Minds-on"
- Match Merlot sites to learning styles
- use LSQs
- felder/solaman ...
- VARK
- helps student select LOs that may be best suited for their needs
- use LSQs
- Use personal collections in Merlot to present sets of LOs
- Activity
- students find 3 LOs, and share with group in F2F
- students find a variety of resources and modalities, share with group
- use the Merlot Editor's Choices as starting point
- Focussing on the social aspect rather than the technological
- CamerONline
- Karen Hardin
- www.cameron.edu
- blackboard.cameron.edu
- studied standards used
- interoperability of courses, but easier for students who can move from course to course...
- faculty are trained in use of blackboard (using Bb courses, some created by faculty)
- tutorials on Bb, Windows, Netscape, IE, ... basics needed to get up and running
- Communication in courses
- email
- only for personal questions
- if it's anything else, it goes into discussion board to share with class/group
- filter with subject (course number) to group messages for instructor
- appropriate communication rules
- outlined in prep. course
- attempt to manage effects of perceived anonymity from the "chat generation"
- punctuation, grammar, speling are important.
- professional conduct
- don't forward jokes...
- Discussion board
- student questions board
- used for questions on course content
- students responsible for all content in this forum (must read it all)
- introduction board
- fosters learning community - able to "meet" other learners in the class
- good to have a back-room channel
- becomes a "coffee house"
- require participation
- not passive recipients...
- receive credit for participation in forum
- Discussion administrators for group discussions
- "list mom" - moderator
- provides summary to other groups, so all students in class know what other groups are doing
- Devil's advocate - have people take alternate viewpoints in discussions
- Archive old discussions - available after "class"
- also works to clean out old topics so students can focus on "current" topics and discussions
- student questions board
- Chat
- can't require it, due to time zone variations
- optional tool for collaborations
- optional material reviews
- synchronous, scheduled "events" where students "meet" to review content
- lecture notes...
- rules of conduct during chat.
- chat archived and stored afterwards
- email