Hybrid Tips from an eMentor
For me, the challenge early on in teaching hybrids was making sure students remember that both components (face-to-face and online) are necessary for success. Some students tend to do all of the online work but miss the face-to-face meetings, and others will attend every class meeting unerringly but fail to submit assignments online.
Scaffolding Learning
To combat students unclear about online requirements, I’ve always assigned graded in-class group or individual activities, as well as assignments due a few days after we’ve met, so that students will have a good reason to check in to the course. I might also assign a quiz on readings that will be due the night before a class meeting, if I need students to have some familiarity with the material we will be covering.
An Ideal Week Might Look Like the Following:
- Class meets on Wednesday: we review new material, the nuances of a major assignment or important concept, and then students complete a group or individual activity for credit. Whether I’m teaching face-to-face or hybrid, lecture never constitutes more than 30 minutes (40 minutes max) of any given class meeting. The assessment or practice happens almost immediately after the lecture so that concerns can be addressed in person.
- Class has an assignment due on Saturday or Sunday: This could be a discussion board, something that needs to be submitted to an assignment folder, or both.
- Class has a quiz on a reading assignment due Tuesday night, the night before the next class meeting: This reminds students that we are meeting the following day, but it also ensures that they come prepared to work.
Weekly Update to Students
Remain Consistent
Consistency, I have found, is the key. Once the schedule becomes routine, students embrace expectations and understand where things need to be done and when. Using the announcements and sending reminders via email and instant message help. I use all three, along with 4-minute videos, on a weekly basis. Hope this helps, and all the best!
Harun Karim Thomas, Ph.D.
Professor School of Humanities and Communication
WAC/WID Coordinator Daytona State College
harun.thomas@daytonastate.edu
386.506.3948 | 386.246.4807