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:  

--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 other
Empowering 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.