The Hybrid Challenge: Activities, Approaches, Pitfalls

Link to article (By by Susan Smith Nash)
"...To be effective, hybrid (teaching and learning) models must be carefully planned and structured. Here?s what instructors must keep in mind, and how they can either have a tremendously successful learning event or end up with disgruntled, confused students."
A short but useful article discussing the challenges of integrating effectively face-to-face and online modes of delivery, discussion board question formulation (Provocative, Followed by Reflective), measuring outcomes in the hybrid tasks, and how to move Online four items (handouts, lecture notes and PowerPoint presentations, outcome-based group discussion items, and instructor-guided discussions) in a Hybrid Course. Finally, Susan highlights the biggest pitfalls, which are:"

• No clear connection between the online content & the face-to-face environment. The dreaded questions, "Why are we doing this?" or "What good is this?" could then arise and start undermining the focus.
• Discussion goes into orbit. Students begin to discuss the particular details of readings or current events and when they are asked to focus back on the big picture, they become confused or angry.
• Activities do not correspond to and provide scaffolding for assessment tasks. If the tasks seem unrelated, students will become angry."

Great trips, Sarah! Short, sweat, straight to the point! Sometimes five (5) minutes of reading makes you wonder in a better direction.