Hybrid Development of a Life Science Course with a Lab Component

Carol J Kirkner, Ed.DDean School of Heath SciencesIvy Tech Community College

Today’s Agenda

Consider today’s students and learning strategies

Understand the hybrid approachIdentify technologies to engages

studentsDefine practices in the course design

to accomplish course objectivesDiscuss “lessons learned” from a

design point

Rethinking How Students Learn• According to Don Tapscott’s segment on NPR, “the traditional lecture model in American universities is no longer appropriate for a generation that has grown up making changing and learning from digital communities”.

• He said that if someone from 100 years ago came back and from a modern engineer designing a bridge, it would be clear how much technology had changed things. But if he walked into a university lecture hall today , it would be entirely familiar…….

Rethinking How Students LearnResearch conducted over the past few

decades shows “It’s impossible for students to take in and process all the information presented during a typical lecture, and yet this is one of the primary ways college students are taught, particularly in introductory courses.”

(Emily Hanford, AmericaRadioworks)

•

Is a Hybrid Always the Right Choice??• Teaching a course in a hybrid format does not simply mean putting your PowerPoints online and developing course assessments.• With a lab component course some face to face must occur to fulfill the course objectives– traditional experiments (dissections)

• Effective hybrid courses take into consideration the differences between face to face and online learning and incorporate different teaching strategies so that students see it as one course.

• Learning takes place in both environments.

Hybrid Delivery Format What is Hybrid?

◦ Typically refers to replacing some portion of the face to face class time with learning activities conducted online. A hybrid course meets approximately half of the time in a traditional face to face environment, with the reminder of the course, activities and exercises delivered through various electronic means. Online exercises Voice over lectures Wimba Video formats

Note: students should be made aware that they will be spending at least as much time in course activities as in a fully traditional class.

Hybrid Format - Appeal to Modern Learners

Students are looking for alternative educational opportunities◦ Indiana is lobbying to have each high

school student take at least one online course.

Content can presented in a more exciting wayStudents have access to simulated life

processes that may be too expensive, too time-consuming or just impossible to present in a face to face lab setting.

Hybrid Format - Appeal to Modern Learners

Students like flexible learning experiences especially for students who have out of class responsibilities – 24/7 access and opportunities to repeat

When students get to the face to face segment, they already knew what they did not understand --- can ask the professor

Students can review the lab materials at any time not just in the lab - they can repeat the simulations on their own time

Advantages of Hybrid Models

◦ Provides flexibility for both students and faculty Tests/ assignments posted over a “time period”

not at one time slot◦ Students “own” their learning◦ Increases course offerings for students

within a region (multiple sites)◦ Less time spent in traveling for weekly

class meetings – gas, public transportation, daycare, time off work

Advantages of Hybrid Models◦ Can increase enrollment in high-enrollment

courses Even with budgetary constraints – no new labs

◦ Quality of student participation/communication improves Discussion boards, case studies and posing

questions◦ Allows for use of most current information

via the Web◦ Allows for the benefits of both traditional

and online learning to be realized – best of both worlds

Your Innovation/Motivation

Questions to ask? What are your reasons for converting your course

to a hybrid format?

What are your expectations about the outcome of this change?

What will connect the in-class and online learning – the relationship?

Creating a Course - Starting Points

TechnologyCourse content

◦ Make it available in manageable segments◦ Create content so it is as demanding as face to

face time (research, assessments, papers)Learning objectives

◦Convey clearly in the syllabus Student/ Learner SupportOutcomes

Technology ConsiderationsUse technology for a purpose not just show

◦ Consider objectivesEase of use for the student- connectivity issues

◦ Make content available in different formatsSpeed – too long for materials to openOrganizational Issues – bandwidth may limit

what you can doCost to the student– if you decide to use a

vender’s packageDigital and online materials – are they available

so that course objectives can be realized?Use technology that has a high rate of working

Content ConsiderationsThere is no standard approach - some

courses just lend themselves to a hybrid format◦ Variations in what % of the course goes online

Create assignments that make students critically think (case studies)◦ Consider objectives

Taking a traditional course to a hybrid takes time - ◦ Emphasis should be on pedagogy - not on

technology◦ Start small and simple◦ Learn to use the technology first

Content ConsiderationsIntegrate online with face to face

so students do not feel they are in two different courses

Present content in logical, sequential format

Create content so that it is as demanding as the traditional course ◦Readings ◦Research papers◦Assessments

Creating a Course

Prepare to move from the limitations of a classroom, to the sequential space of the week

Provide structure throughout the course - some students take traditional courses because they know they have a set time in their schedule for that class.

Establish clear ground rules on communication – both ways◦Make your contact information available

Student/Learner SupportMake clear how students can

utilize resources – face to face and distance services

Advising – format made clearTutoring LibraryOnline learning departmentHelp deskDisabilities services

Lessons LearnedPrepare the syllabus so that it is clear.

◦ Develop a weekly schedule◦ Post online and provide a hard copy◦ Have several places where you have

provide the same information and be consistent

Check multimedia every semester – functionality◦ Impacts course credibility, frustrating

Establish the first face to face meeting as mandatory.◦ Talk about expectations of student

participation and their responsibility for learning

◦ Indicate instructor response time on assignments

Lessons Learned Use “Announcements” regularly to frame

the week’s activities in Lecture and Lab• First 3 weeks are critical for retention• Be available the first week- students are a

little scared and will need guidance• First week should be an easing into

technology and directions on how students move through the course materials• Assessment resets – students need a ‘plan B’

contact• High point of anxiety/frustration

Lessons Learned

Have an assessment during the first two weeks so students can see how they are doing with this format

Prepare to communicate much more frequently than a traditional course experience

Keep files sizes small by breaking a multimedia presentation into parts

Lessons LearnedAdded optional face to face review

sessions ◦Before exams

Standing offer to review exams one-on-one with instructor

In the hybrid APHY course I kept several aspects of the traditional course◦Grading (scale)◦Assignments ◦Coverage of same lab material◦Regional, comprehensive final

Redesign – Course RevisionsBuild upon the initial design - this is an

incremental process (adding new learning activities)

APHY 101 and 102 have the same design so students do not have to relearn the format.◦ This has been a very important item with

students.Developing a hybrid course is a collegial

initiative - talk to others to help you find solutions.◦ Consistency meets innovation

Name Class 93 101 102 103 111Gray 101 24% 33.00% 28% 17% 19%

102 12.80% 6.50% 16% 13.30% 4%Murdie 101 66.60% 57% 33% 25%

102 36.80% N/A 29% 20%Rufuku 101 40% 26% 12% 15% 12%

102 19% 10% 8% 12% no classHayes 101 6% 20-25% 15% 17% 20%

102 4% About 15% 13% 14% 27%Winston 101 48% 50% 33% 28%

102 44% 29% 48% 38%Chen 101 31% 24%

8 week APHY 101SBELK 19% R 20%

APHY 102SBELK

Chugnova 101 26%(Elk)

Kirkner 101 15% 12%102 14% 18%

APHY 101 Traditional Format:Regional Failure Rates on Comprehensive Final ~ 27%

APHY 102 Traditional Format: Regional Failure Rates on Comprehensive Final ~ 19%

APHY 101 Hybrid Format: Failure Rates on Comprehensive Final ~ 14%

APHY 102 Hybrid Format: Failure Rates on Comprehensive Final ~ 16%

NOTE: small data set

Outcomes

Grade Distribution for Physiology 201

Performance in Physiology 201-

The next course

Course Format N A B C D F W/D

Traditional

ANP102

12 1 5 3 3

Hybrid ANP 102 10 1 4 2 3

Total 22 2 9 5 6

Multimedia Examples

Voice over PowerPointsWeb sites for lab and lectureWimba Classroom for ‘live’

(recordable) lectures, review sessionsMore slides “before you go on”

Questions