Embracing a New Paradigm: Designing Blended Instruction at

Embracing a New Paradigm:Designing Blended Instruction at the

University of Houston

Presented by:

Linda Davis, Ed.D., Director of Instructional Design and Technology, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS)

Michael Chamberlain, Instructional Designer (CLASS)

Madhuri Kumar, Instructional Designer (Bauer College of Business)

Course Redesign

• Mike –University of Houston: Campus Profile• Linda-Chinese Language and Culture• Mike-History of Art 1• Madhuri-Business Law and Ethics

*UH Cards

• Hybrid Definition• 4 courses in the Spring ‘03• 22 course in Fall ‘04

An aggressive initiative in hybrid (blended) conversion

A Large Urban University

• 30,000 students• Commuter campus• Upper and Lower Division• Robust technology infrastructure

Factors Driving Hybrid Adoption

• Expected enrollment increases– Classroom space– Parking

• Increase student/faculty interaction

• Top-down– Department Chair – Political Science– Dean - Business School

• Bottom up– Department presentations– Door to door advocacy

Two Approaches

Incentives - FDIP

• Source – tech fees

• 3 levels

• Flexibility in course design

• Mix of online content and activities– Discussion boards

– Online quizzes

– Online content

– Chat

• Use to reduce class size by breaking into 2 sections.

• Reach out to the world• Bring the world in

Pedagogical Goals

Presentation Objectives:

• To discuss the design and development processes for creating a hybrid course

• To share the problems and the successes for developing the hybrid course

• Approach for the Modern and Classical Language courses

Six Stages of Course Development

Stage 1: Information Gathering and Brainstorming

•Syllabus

•Goals and Objectives

•Division of Face-to-Face & Online Content

•Timeline

•Graphic Design

•Course Materials & Delivery Applications


Stage 2: First Module Sign Off

•Homepage appearance/style

•Course tools

•Articles

•Assignments

•Assessment


Stage 3: Midway Review

Stage 4: Final Review and Testing

Stage 5: Delivery

Stage 6: Summative Evaluation

Chinese Language and Culture

Instructor: XiaoHong Wen


Why should I create a hybrid course?

Accommodate individual differences and improve learning success rates.

Overwhelming enrollment demand.


What are the needs?• Hardware

• Software for writing in Chinese

• Interactive learning materials

• Assignments and exercises that provide immediate feedback

• Enrichment materials

• Taping and editing of video while teaching in China

• Assistance/training

• PowerPoint Presentation

• Hot Potatoes– Matching/Multiple Choice– Quiz– Rethinking (review)

• Outside Resources• Chinese-English Dictionary• Online Chinese tools• Chinese characters

Chinese Language and CultureAccomplishments: Presentations

Accomplishments: MCL Lab Experiences

Tell Me More • Picture/Word Association• Matching Chinese with the

transcription• Word Association• Pronunciation• Dialogue• Word Order• Fill-in-the-blanks


Problem Review


• Locating software that was compatible with Chinese characters

• Funding was released during the summer

• Teaching and creating in China for a course in the U.S.

• Instructors needed skills in using software

• “Letting go” of course content

• Returning to U.S. to find the wrong course is offered

Instructor Comments/Recommendations


•Start early

•Discussion groups in WebCt

•Be prepared to Revise

Course Description

Large survey class / Traditional delivery

Why Hybrid?•Administration - classroom space•Instructor - innovation

ID Process• Goals and objectives • Instructional Analysis

Learner Attributes• 250 students• Upper and lower division• Core requirement for all Social Science

Majors• Many non-traditional • Many weak on writing skills

Instructional Innovation• Outside Expertise • Integrate resources of the MFAH• Writing remediation• Authentic learning & assessment

Content Lecture Concept videos Overview

Textbook Explorations

Field trip Textbook

Remediation None Writing Center

Assessment Paper Quizzes Online Quizzes

Short paper Catalogue Entry

Long paper Art Card

Meeting Needs• Administrative – classroom space• Student - convenience• Instructor – flexibility allows innovation

•Redesigned Undergrad Curriculum

•New International Minor

•Business Law & Ethics

•Business 101

•Upper division core requirement for business majors (3000/4000 level)

•Strategic decision for Hybrid instruction

•Pilots in Fall ’04/Spring ‘05

•Instructional Design Process

•Initial meetings with faculty for needs assessment

•“Going Hybrid” workshop & “COW”

•Exploration of discipline problems from a new vantage point

•SWOT analysis

•Technology trainings

•Instructional plans

•Course development

Business Law & EthicsThis course examines basic commercial laws surrounding business

transactions and the ethical aspects of organizational decision-making within these contexts.

Objectives of the course are:

• Provide students with a basic understanding of business law so that students will be able to recognize potential legal issues as they arise in the business environment.

• Provide students with the opportunity to develop an extremely valuable skill of effectively and efficiently analyzing the potential legal consequences and ethical issues of a variety of business transactions (and recording such analysis succinctly in a memo).

Business Law & Ethics

Leverage for opportunities offered by technology:

•to spend class time differently (e.g. setting context for material presented out of class, on-line rather than presenting and reviewing the material in class lectures.)

•to affect a change in how students prepare for class (e.g. provide more opportunities for self-assessment, practice and review)


•Design for multiple learning styles


Learning Style Preference for information acquisition

Visual/Verbal Prefers to read information

Visual/Nonverbal Uses graphics or diagrams to represent information

Auditory/Verbal Prefers to listen to information

Tactile/Kinesthetic Prefers physical hands-on experiences

Kolb’s Learning Style

Preference for receiving & internalizing information

Type 1 (concrete, reflective)

Needs a personal connection to course material

Type 2 (abstract,

reflective) Needs time for reflection

Type 3 (abstract,

active) Needs opportunities to work on tasks which provide guided practice and feedback

Type 4 (concrete,

active) Needs to apply course material to new situations and solve real world problems


•Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education

By Arthur W. Chickering and Zelda F. Gamson


• Encourages contacts between students and faculty. • Develops reciprocity and cooperation among students. • Uses active learning techniques. • Gives prompt feedback. • Emphasizes time on task. • Communicates high expectations. • Respects diverse talents and ways of learning.


•Learning object design approach

•Universal Design


Guided tour of Business Law & Ethics





Learning Tools


Initial Student Perceptions in Pilot course…


Documents

Embracing a New Paradigm: Designing Blended Instruction at