Hybrid Development of a Life Science Course with a Lab Component

2. Hybrid Development of a Life Science Course with a Lab Component Carol J Kirkner, Ed.D Dean School of Heath Sciences Ivy Tech Community College

3. Today’s Agenda • Consider today’s students and learning strategies • Understand the hybrid approach • Identify technologies to engages students • Define practices in the course design to accomplish course objectives • Discuss “lessons learned” from a design point

4. 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…….

5. Rethinking How Students Learn • Research 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)

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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 way • Students 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.

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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?

13. Creating a Course - Starting Points • Technology • Course 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 Support • Outcomes

14. Technology Considerations • Use technology for a purpose not just show • Consider objectives • Ease of use for the student- connectivity issues • Make content available in different formats • Speed – too long for materials to open • Organizational Issues – bandwidth may limit what you can do • Cost to the student– if you decide to use a vender’s package • Digital and online materials – are they available so that course objectives can be realized? • Use technology that has a high rate of working

15. Content Considerations • There 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

16. Content Considerations • Integrate 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

17. 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

18. Student/Learner Support • Make clear how students can utilize resources – face to face and distance services • Advising – format made clear • Tutoring • Library • Online learning department • Help desk • Disabilities services

19. Lessons Learned • Prepare 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. Lessons Learned • Added 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

23. Redesign – Course Revisions • Build 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

24. Outcomes 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

25. Grade Distribution for Physiology 201

26. Multimedia Examples • Voice over PowerPoints • Web sites for lab and lecture • Wimba Classroom for ‘live’ (recordable) lectures, review sessions • More slides “before you go on”

27. Questions