Using Lecture123 in an English Hybrid Course

David Buck, English InstructorBurlington County College

10 March 2006

Technology and English Courses

English Hybrid Course

BCC Hybrid Course Description: Hybrid courses at BCC blend traditional face-

to-face instruction with technology-enhanced online experiences that occur outside the classroom, thus reducing the amount of classroom “seat time.” 

The classroom time is then redesigned to combine the best features of in-person instruction with independent, student-based activities that occur in an online environment. 

These blended learning experiences produce a course with increased convenience, flexibility, and improved learning opportunities. 

Support for Hybrid Courses “‘Hybrid’ Teaching Seeks to End the Divide between

Traditional and Online Instruction” (from the 22 March 2002 issue of The Chronicle of Higher Education):

“‘Within five years, you’ll see a very significant number of classes that are available in a hybrid fashion,’ says John R. Bourne, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering who is editor of the Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks. ‘I would guess that somewhere in the 80- to 90-percent range of classes could sometime become hybrid.’ And he says he expects to see more students choose to take online courses even if they live on campus.”

Support for Hybrid Courses

“Graham B. Spanier, president of Pennsylvania State University, calls the convergence of online and resident instruction ‘the single-greatest unrecognized trend in higher education today,’ and he touted it as part of the vision for his university in a speech last year.”

Support for Hybrid Courses “‘Face-to-face is not the gold standard that it’s

held up to be,’ says Chris Dede, professor of learning technologies at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education.

‘Many people find their voice in distance media in a way that they don’t in face-to-face sessions,’ he says. A shy student, for instance, might never participate in a classroom environment, but the student might frequently speak up in online forums where students have more time to think before they comment.”

Adopting Lecture123 Blended instruction “idea” How do we implement it? Both exposed to

Lecture123 software Evaluation of other

software delivery packages Adoption of Lecture123 as

primary delivery system Discussion with Vice-

President of Academic Programs

Approval

Structure of ENG 102 Hybrid Online portion delivered

through Lecture123 and WebBoard

Viewing (or podcasting) of Lecture123 lectures (each Thursday)

Postings to WebBoard – each course section is assigned Conference

70 total course points (out of 300) committed to Online student work

Structure of ENG 102 Hybrid

3 genres – short fiction, poetry, and drama

Traditional assessment – 3 analysis essays, 3 exams, and periodic quizzes

Online assessment – Online Exercises, “embedded engagement,” virtual projects

Hybridized 50/50 – one Tuesday onsite (F2F) meeting and one Thursday online (Lecture123 and WebBoard) meeting

Syllabus Schedule

WebBoard Postings

Advantages of L123

Increased flexibility Promotion of self-directed student

learning Heightened level of engagement Ability to approximate authentic learning

environments, including collaboration Presentation of content in non-traditional

format (integration of technology) Accommodation of all learning styles

Challenges

Challenges

Level of comfort involving new technology (institutional tech support)

Expectation that fewer “face-to-face” class meetings means less work

Inadequate time management skills Misperception of the hybrid course

concept Acceptance of responsibility for personal

learning

Live Demonstration