BlendKit 2012
I am enrolled in an online class for "continuing ed" credit (sort of, it will just go on my performance evaluation) with the University of Central Florida. The class is about understanding, designing, and implementing blended learning, which is often called "hybrid" classes. Blending is probably a nice term, although it could probably be argued that any significant online enhancement includes blended learning (methods, experiences); however, in this context it means that essentially the class only meets face to face about half the time as normal and online the rest of the time. I have two blended classes this semester, and I have taught online in some fashion since 1998, so this is not new to me. I just thought the class might give me some tips and some wisdom as to why the retention rate in the public speaking hybrid class is generally so low.
I asked my academic supervisor if I could create an online public speaking class and she discouraged it because of the retention rate problem. So we are at cross purposes as an institution, but that's discussion for another day.
One thing I have learned so far is small but actually big. I need to map out more clearly for students (visually,with a graph) what we are doing online that week versus what we are doing in the class meeting. That's one of those "duh" moments--why hadn't I figured it out before?
We do not have a good mechanism for ensuring only students who know what they are doing get into the hybrid course. What this tells me is that many issues of hybrid learning are not teacher oriented but institutionally-oriented.
Other than the hybrid public speaking class I have a Humanities 1201 class that is hybrid. The students in that class have been in college longer and have better learning skills; at least they know themselves as learners a little better. That makes a big difference.
This summer I filmed my lectures for the public speaking students to watch. Well, I filmed (and they are in the process of being closed-captioned) 20 of 25 lectures. The other five I will give in class to the hybrid. I do not know if they are being watched (they are posted on youtube) and that is a big problem for me. I need to check their notes this week, and set up a mechanism for them to know their notes will be checked. Interestingly, because I was out of class with SACS responsibilities last week, I assigned my regular sections to watch the videos, four of them, and take the notes. I also have transcripts of the lectures and PowerPoints, so they can get it in three modalities. I checked the notes this week. After over two weeks, only about 20% of the students had watched them. So much for the flipped classroom approach. Those 20% of the students got extra credit for doing what they were supposed to.
So, this is my post about what I read, most of which I already knew but it was good to know that my understanding was shared. Some of the sources were over ten years old and a lot has gone on in this field since then.
I asked my academic supervisor if I could create an online public speaking class and she discouraged it because of the retention rate problem. So we are at cross purposes as an institution, but that's discussion for another day.
One thing I have learned so far is small but actually big. I need to map out more clearly for students (visually,with a graph) what we are doing online that week versus what we are doing in the class meeting. That's one of those "duh" moments--why hadn't I figured it out before?
We do not have a good mechanism for ensuring only students who know what they are doing get into the hybrid course. What this tells me is that many issues of hybrid learning are not teacher oriented but institutionally-oriented.
Other than the hybrid public speaking class I have a Humanities 1201 class that is hybrid. The students in that class have been in college longer and have better learning skills; at least they know themselves as learners a little better. That makes a big difference.
This summer I filmed my lectures for the public speaking students to watch. Well, I filmed (and they are in the process of being closed-captioned) 20 of 25 lectures. The other five I will give in class to the hybrid. I do not know if they are being watched (they are posted on youtube) and that is a big problem for me. I need to check their notes this week, and set up a mechanism for them to know their notes will be checked. Interestingly, because I was out of class with SACS responsibilities last week, I assigned my regular sections to watch the videos, four of them, and take the notes. I also have transcripts of the lectures and PowerPoints, so they can get it in three modalities. I checked the notes this week. After over two weeks, only about 20% of the students had watched them. So much for the flipped classroom approach. Those 20% of the students got extra credit for doing what they were supposed to.
So, this is my post about what I read, most of which I already knew but it was good to know that my understanding was shared. Some of the sources were over ten years old and a lot has gone on in this field since then.
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