Blended Learning Series: Topic Intro | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4
Blended Learning
Part 2:
Getting Started – Organizing the Course
Overview
Not only are there key differences between traditional face-to-face and online/hybrid courses, but there is also variation within blended learning models. This part of the series will examine the Replacement Model, consider best practices for hybrid/online settings, and highlight campus resources that can support online and hybrid course (re) design.
Many instructors at UC Davis currently use the Replacement Model, whereby the typical arrangement of a four-unit course (consisting of three hours of lecture and one hour of discussion/lab per week) is replaced by any of the following three options:
- Option 1: Lecture meets in class 1 to 1.5 hours/week;
- Online lecture meets “online” in some format 1.5 to 2 hours/week; o Discussion meets in class 1 hour/week.
- Option 2: Lecture meets in class 1 to 1.5 hours/week;
- Online lecture meets “online” in some format 1.5 to 2 hours/week; o Discussion meets “online” in some format 1 hour/week.
- Option 3: Lecture meets in class 3 hours/week; o Discussion meets “online” in some format 1 hour/week.
No matter what model is chosen, all successful courses require intentional and strategic planning. Once an exact model is identified, it is important to examine strategies for redesigning a course, creating learning activities, and assessing learning. In doing so, Table 1 offers considerations for practice in Blended, Flipped, Hybrid, and Online (BFHO) settings (Saichaie, 2020).
Table 1: Considerations for practice in BFHO settings
| Component | Question | Considerations for Effective Practice |
| Instructor Readiness | What is your level of experience and motivation with courses in BFHO settings? | In preparation for a manageable redesign and to set appropriate expectations, realistically evaluate your experience, skills, and motivation for change. Depending on the scope of transformation, allow enough time (6-24 months) for completion. Note that both transitioning a traditional course to hybrid and creating a new hybrid course from scratch require Committee on Courses of Instruction (COCI) approval, which can take a year or longer. |
| Student Readiness | What is your students’ level of experience and motivation with courses in BFHO settings? | Evaluate your students’ potential to access and connect to the internet. Also ask them to assess their ability for an online discussion platform. Although students studied online during the COVID19 pandemic, they may be new to Canvas or particular tools utilized in your course. |
| Percentages of Class Time | What proportion of your class will be face-to-face and what proportion will be online? | If a percentage of course activities are asynchronous and online, you must adjust synchronous in-class sessions accordingly. These percentages may be informed by your course goals. |
| Learning Goals | What do you want your students to know, do, and value at the end of class? | While developing student learning objectives, use verbs (see Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy) to connect to learning goals and increase measurability of the objectives and outcomes. |
| Assessment of Learning | How will you know if your students are learning? | Map both formative and summative forms of assessment to course learning goals. Identify how you will provide timely feedback, especially in high-enrollment and writing-intensive classes. |
Adapted from Saichaie, 2020.
As with any course, effective learning principles must also be applied to any BFHO setting. A successful course will be mindful of the learning environment, adult learning principles, and online learning processes (Shea, 2007). With an existing course in mind, apply the principles of Understanding by Design (or backwards design) as a framework for course redesign:
- Learning Outcomes: What should students be able to do by the end of the unit?
- Assessments/feedback: How will you determine if students are achieving the learning outcomes? How will students get feedback about their learning? Consider the role of both formal and informal assessments.
- Learning Activities: What learning activities will students participate in to help them meet the learning outcomes? How will they interact with each other, the instructor, and the content? Consider which activities are best suited for face-to-face or online and how they will be integrated.
- Tool Needs: What tools (including technology and other materials) are needed to create the unit or support the learning activities and/or assessments?
Use the template (Appendix 2A) to get started designing one week/unit of your hybrid course.
To begin, student learning outcomes are the big ideas and skills that we want students to take away from the course. In the context of BFHO courses, do you expect different or new student outcomes? Will you measure them face-to-face, online, or both? Next, conceptualize the course based on these outcomes. How will you know that they have met your objectives? What learning evidence must you collect? Finally, what student-centered learning experiences and instructional delivery methods will best support the students in this learning?
Limit the number of interventions you attempt during a single quarter.
While trending technologies can be tempting, aim to implement just one or two new technologies per term. This reduces anxiety and allows time for students and instructors to experiment with how best to utilize new tools and analyze their efficacy (Mazlan & Sumarjan, 2022). Be aware that new tools must be vetted for accessibility, privacy, and other requirements before university approval. You can track the status of Canvas-supported tools.
Support for Redesign
EdTech Commons Keep Teaching is a resource site for UC Davis instructors interested in integrating technology into their instruction. Site features include:
- Advice from UC Davis instructors about how they integrated technology for student learning
- Instructional tools and technologies that increase student engagement
- Summary of scholarly research
- Descriptions of adapting learning activities for BFHO delivery
The Center for Educational Effectiveness (CEE) and Academic Technology Services (ATS) can also provide consultation, training, and additional resources to support transitions to BFHO settings.
See this Blended Learning Design Template to help you get started in planning your course.
APPENDIX 2A: Planning Template
- Citation
- Center for Educational Effectiveness (CEE). (2024). Blended learning series: Just-in-Time Teaching Resources. https://cee.ucdavis.edu/JITT
- References
- Mazlan, N., & Sumarjan, N. (2022). Stress, anxiety and satisfaction in online learning: The moderating role of instructor support. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 12(11), 669–683.
Saichaie, K. (2020). Blended, flipped, and hybrid learning: Definitions, developments, and directions. In T. Trolian & K. C. Culver (Eds.), New Directions for Teaching and Learning. Jossey-Bass.
Shea, P. (2007). Towards a conceptual framework for learning in blended environments. In A. G. Picciano & C. D. Dziuban (Eds.), Blended learning: Research perspectives (pp. 19–35).