A hybrid undergraduate introductory public relations course was offered by the School of Journalism and Mass Communication in fall 2010 at our satellite campus. There were 45 students in the class, majoring in a variety of subjects. The class met three times on campus (for a 3 hour period) with the remainder online. Because this format offered limited onsite meetings, some students willingly drove more than two hours to attend the campus, face-to-face sessions.
Hybrid Strategies for Success
When designing a hybrid class, faculty should first determine clear objectives for the course. Using units, sections or modules help to ‘chunk’ or organize content in a learning management system (LMS). The onsite meeting dates, should not conflict with other classes. Also, schedule the first face-to-face meeting after the add-drop dates so students who register late can attend.
Onsite Meetings
On-site, face-to-face class meetings can provide opportunities for students to connect with the instructor and the faculty member. Using a workshop format with speakers, icebreakers, exercises or small group work allows for interaction. Assignments in advance of the campus meeting can give students shared experiences to discuss and present. It is important to consider alternatives for any graded in class assignments or exercises because students may miss the onsite meeting for valid reasons.
Assignment Options
Assignments for hybrid classes vary by discipline. Research papers, reports and essays are common in many classes. For online content, blogs, forums, video responses, journals, photographs, and self-reflection papers are other options. In addition to quizzes, students in this class were required to interview a public relations professional and write a profile. Students also completed a SWOT analysis of a local business or organization, focusing on public relations strategies.
Online Modules
The weekly online sections or modules for this course often included a text reading, an audio lecture recorded by the professor, a PowerPoint presentation, a viewing or listening assignment and an online quiz. These learning modules were designed to be asynchronous so students could complete their work on their schedule as long as they met the weekly quiz deadline.
Structure
Unlike traditional classes, faculty won’t see students on a weekly basis. Because of this distance in time and space, hybrid and online classes should be highly structured. For example, assignments should include clear directions and a grading rubric. Using the same term or assignment description throughout the syllabus and the course discussion is key to avoiding confusion.
Quizzes and exams should be standardized as much as possible so they are due the same time and date each week. Students will budget their time weekly to review material and complete their online work. Small stakes quizzes on a regular basis keep a manageable amount of content in front of the student.
Communication
Texas State University provides excellent technical information and support for both faculty and students. Encouraging students to use the learning management system efficiently is important for their success. Faculty can attend a number of workshops and classes on hybrid and online teaching coordinated by the Instructional Technologies Support division.
Faculty and student contact in a hybrid course helps students feel grounded on a university campus and connected to their professor. Simple comments online or emails let students know faculty do care about them.
It’s important to determine how and when faculty will communicate with students in a hybrid or online class. For this class, some students preferred email while others wanted to discuss an assignment on the telephone. Preset reminders were sent via email for quizzes, assignments and onsite meetings. The syllabus should include the technology requirements for the class in addition to the late work policy and detailed semester schedule.
