scholarly journals Benefits of a Multi-institutional, Hybrid Approach to Teaching Course Design for Graduate Students, Postdoctoral Scholars, and Leaders

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 218-240
Author(s):  
Darren S. Hoffmann ◽  
Katherine Kearns ◽  
Karen M. Bovenmyer ◽  
W. F. Preston Cumming ◽  
Leslie E. Drane ◽  
...  

In this study, graduate students and postdoctoral scholars participated in a hybrid, multi-institutional workshop series about course design. Trainees developed college courses based on their research expertise, posting works-in-progress to a shared, online drive for peer review and collaboration. Learners also met weekly with local facilitators at their institution. The program led to similar learning outcomes as when the program was previously run in a face-to-face only format at one institution. However, the multi-institutional design led to additional benefits, especially for leaders at each institution, who described a rich learning community in their collaborative work.

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 218-240
Author(s):  
Darren S. Hoffmann ◽  
Katherine Kearns ◽  
Karen M. Bovenmyer ◽  
W. F. Preston Cumming ◽  
Leslie E. Drane ◽  
...  

In this study, graduate students and postdoctoral scholars participated in a hybrid, multi-institutional workshop series about course design. Trainees developed college courses based on their research expertise, posting works-in-progress to a shared, online drive for peer review and collaboration. Learners also met weekly with local facilitators at their institution. The program led to similar learning outcomes as when the program was previously run in a face-to-face only format at one institution. However, the multi-institutional design led to additional benefits, especially for leaders at each institution, who described a rich learning community in their collaborative work.


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 19-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariam Mouse Matta Abdelmalak ◽  
Julia Lynn Parra

The purpose of this study was to explore students' perspectives regarding HyFlex course design. The main feature of HyFlex is blending synchronous online student attendance and face-to-face student attendance (hybrid) in a single course and allowing students to choose when and how they attend (flexible). The course in this study implemented HyFlex principles to expand learning opportunities of adult graduate students in a higher education setting. The data collection sources included interviews of six graduate students, class observations, recordings of class meetings, students' course work, and relevant online course artifacts. Results indicated that participants perceived HyFlex to be a good way to accommodate student needs and their life circumstances, increase student access to course content and instruction, differentiate instruction to meet adult students' different learning styles and strategies, and give students a sense of control over their learning.


Collaborative learning enables participants in a learning community to externalize and share knowledge, experiences, and practice. However, collaborative learning in an online environment can be challenging due to the lack of face-to face interaction. This current study examined twenty graduate students’ experiences of using VoiceThread for a collaborative activity in an entirely online course to explore students’ perceptions of using multi-modal communication for collaboration and knowledge sharing. The results of this study revealed that graduate students had very positive experiences toward using VoiceThread for collaborative learning. The participants found VoiceThread easy to learn and use, and reported that audio and video interaction on VoiceThread helped connect them with their peers. More than half of the participants interacted with peers using audio, followed by text and then by video. Half of the students felt they were more connected to peers; however, feeling more connected did not result in more participation as most of the students only participated at the level that met the course requirement. Participants identified benefits and drawbacks of using VoiceThread for collaboration as compared to using text-based discussion forums. The most frequently mentioned benefit of using VoiceThread for collaboration exemplifies its multi-modal affordance that enables learners to communicate emotion, personality, and other non-verbal cues conducive to better understanding and interpretation of meanings. About half of the participants indicated that they preferred VoiceThread to text-based discussion forums for collaborative learning activity. Challenges and implications for future research are also discussed.


Author(s):  
Judi Simmons Estes

The use of online methodologies to deliver coursework has become institutionalized in higher education. There is an urgent need to move beyond the question of which delivery model is most effective: face-to-face, fully online, or blended, and switch the focus to teaching pedagogy and strategies that effectively engage students in the learning process. This chapter posits that student-learning outcomes are less dependent on delivery mode and instead dependent on a teacher's pedagogical practices; it is the skill of the teacher as facilitator that drives the effective development of the learning community and influences student-learning outcomes. Further, it is suggested that constructivism, as a pedagogy of teaching, be considered, regardless of delivery mode; students construct their own knowledge as the teacher facilitates the process through providing opportunities for active engagement and critical inquiry within a community of learners. Teaching opportunities are adapted in response to the needs of students with technology as a tool to deliver learning outcomes.


Author(s):  
Judi Simmons Estes

The use of online methodologies to deliver coursework has become institutionalized in higher education. There is an urgent need to move beyond the question of which delivery model is most effective: face-to-face, fully online, or blended, and switch the focus to teaching pedagogy and strategies that effectively engage students in the learning process. This chapter posits that student-learning outcomes are less dependent on delivery mode and instead dependent on a teacher's pedagogical practices; it is the skill of the teacher as facilitator that drives the effective development of the learning community and influences student-learning outcomes. Further, it is suggested that constructivism, as a pedagogy of teaching, be considered, regardless of delivery mode; students construct their own knowledge as the teacher facilitates the process through providing opportunities for active engagement and critical inquiry within a community of learners. Teaching opportunities are adapted in response to the needs of students with technology as a tool to deliver learning outcomes.


2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-23
Author(s):  
Prudence R Brown

This article provides a case study of tutor’s reflection on practice leading to a different approach to teaching an introductory course on politics and policy at a major Australian university, aimed at better reaching disengaged students. The overhaul led to higher levels of constructive student engagement in the tutorials, resulting in improved student and learning outcomes. Tutors, with their broad face-to-face and individual contact, have the means to assess student engagement and understanding in ways not always available to lecturers. As such, they can support holistic curriculum development if they are seen as relevant stakeholders in this process. The article demonstrates the value of seeing tutorials and tutors as an integral consideration in curriculum development.


SAGE Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 215824402110545
Author(s):  
Rui Zhang

Blended learning utilizes the affordances of information and communication technology to integrate online learning with face-to-face teaching. It facilitates to meet students’ disciplinary learning needs and helps them achieve the intended learning outcomes so that they can advance in their professional study. The present study focuses on developing and evaluating a blended course implemented in the context of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) from the perspective of accountability and development, with the purpose of assessing the effectiveness of the course from three aspects: the satisfaction of students’ learning requirements, the achievement of their learning outcomes, and the ongoing refinement of the course. Data of the course evaluation survey were quantitatively analyzed by descriptive statistics and data of students’ learning reflections were qualitatively analyzed by thematic analysis. Results indicate that, firstly, students are satisfied with the course design and its implementation; secondly, the course modification should focus on adding academic presentations, teaching in English with trans-semiotising approach and consolidating the disciplinary community, which in turn activate students’ knowledge-sharing and critical thinking. The study offers a systematic framework to evaluate the ESP blended course, which also has implications for evaluating blended courses in other language curricula.


2018 ◽  
Vol Vol 17 (Vol 17, No 1 (2018)) ◽  
pp. 128-140
Author(s):  
Oleksandr Pushkar

The article deals with the approach to developing an advertising multimedia product for the promotion or sale of goods or services. Under the advertising product is an advertising video, an interactive commercial, 3-D advertising, virtual and augmented reality, an online store. Based on the analogy method, a diagram of the process of perceiving the advertising multimedia product by the user is presented. The use of the hybrid approach of customer development for updating the multimedia product and taking into account the virtual values of users is substantiated. Developed scenarios for the development of a multimedia product, depending on the results of achieving the planned goals. The sequence of multimedia product development is proposed based on the convergence of face-to-face and screen-to-screen approaches.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 238212052110148
Author(s):  
Jasna Vuk ◽  
Steven McKee ◽  
Sara Tariq ◽  
Priya Mendiratta

Background: Medical school learning communities benefit students. The College of Medicine (COM) at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) provides medical students with academic, professional, and personal support through a learning community (LC) made of 7 academic houses. Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of the academic house model at UAMS utilizing a mixed-methods survey. The aims were to: (1) assess student experience and satisfaction with academic houses, (2) describe the realms of advising and guidance, and (3) identify areas for improvement. Method: An online survey was assigned to 723 COM students (all students enrolled, first through fourth years) at UAMS in March 2019. The survey was comprised of 25 items (10 multiple-choice, 8 on the Likert scale, and 7 open-ended questions). Data was depicted using frequency and percentages and/or thematic review of free-form responses. Results: The survey response rate was 31% (227 students). The majority of students responding (132, 58.1%) attended 2 or more face-to-face meetings with the faculty advisor within the preceding year. However, 27 (11.9%) students did not have any meetings. Approximately two-thirds of the respondents were satisfied or very satisfied with the guidance and direction provided by their advisors [very satisfied (n = 83; 36.6%); satisfied (n = 77; 33.9%)]. Themes that emerged from student generated areas for improvement include time constraints, advisor/advisee interest mismatch, and perceived inadequacy of advising content/connections. Conclusions: This study confirms the effectiveness of the LC model for advising and mentoring in the COM at UAMS. Uniquely, this study identifies not only learners’ satisfaction with their LC but also highlights areas for improvement which are widely generalizable and important to consider for institutions with or planning to start an LC.


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