Merlot notes: Hybrid Courses & Collaboration

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 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
  - 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