Topic: Strategies and Tips for the Intensive Week of a Hybrid Course, May 4, 2016
Frank Rogers led the discussion about how to best design the intensive week (face-to-face portion) of a hybrid course. His strategies and tips come from his experiences teaching hybrid courses in the masters and doctoral programs.
Below is the content of Frank's notes. Also, attached below are two documents (pdf): (1) Frank's notes and (2) Frank's notes which includes my own notes.
In addition, here are two links to resources that are connected with the discussions:
- New York Times article: To Help Students Learn, Engage the Emotions
- Wikispaces (as described by Erik)
--Israel
Strategies & Tips for the Intensive Week
Of a Hybrid Course
Frank Rogers Jr.
Question for Reflection: What can be done intentionally during the intensive face-to-face week that enhances the on-line experience to follow?
I. Small Group Bonding
A. Small groups are essential to holistic education:
They provide space to process course content and experiences.
They provide space to practice essential course skills.
They offer communities of support that enhance both student experience
and learning.
B. What enhances small group experience?
1. Ground rules for ‘safe-enough’ space; for example:
Appreciation for each others’ experience
Respectful dialogue when disagreeing
Reasonable confidentiality
Refraining from the impulse to fix each otherEmpowering constructive feedback
2. Story-based relationship building
Stories build connections between persons.
Stories ground, concretize and integrate abstract reflection.
Stories can be calibrated from relatively less intimate to deeply intimate subject matters. Remain appropriate
3. Specific questions and tasks that guide small group interaction
Open-ended small group discussions can be meandering, isolating, and educationally deadening.
Allow each person to share on a particular topic (to avoid a few dominating and a few checking out)
Integrate experience and reflection
Have an identifiable question or task so the group knows when it
II. Front load content best done face-to-face. Possibilities might include:
Frame and
map the course for them.
Let them
experience face-to-face what they will be asked to do together on-line.
Identify
essential concepts/skills/exercises and use the face-to-face to ensure their
understanding.
III. Trouble-shoot and launch the on-line experience together
Walk through the on-line process together on the last day of the intensive.
Discuss netiquette.
Have them experience their first on-line connection before they leave.