Year in Review Looking back at a year of hybrid courses Page
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Priyanka Kumar Copy Editor
Fall Issue 4 - Oct. 4 This fall semester, EmbryRiddle re-introduced hybrid courses on campus providing students with a new way to learn. In hybrid courses, students are provided a flexible class schedule where some of the face-to-face class sessions are replaced with online learning activities. This new style of course delivery was implemented as a trial this semester to determine what is needed to insure that hybrid courses are just as effective as traditional learning. According to Dr.Shirley Waterhouse, Senior Director of the Office of Academic and Excellence Innovation, hybrid courses can be more “innovative and interactive.” “The number one priority is a personalized learning experience for students, and hybrid courses have great potential to augment that experience through the effective utilization of technology enhancements, “ Dr.Waterhouse said. Dr. Dave Pedersen, Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence, who also plays a role in developing and supporting the new system, is equally excited about the new opportunity. “This is an extension of a course re-design program that has been underway with faculty for a few years in an effort to help them make their courses more engaging. The hybrid portion focuses on the online component in addition to face-to-face learning,” Dr.Pedersen said. According to Dr.Pedersen, this learning method was tested at ERAU ten years ago. Dr.Pedersen stated that students seemed to enjoy the flexibility and convenience when the hybrid classes were offered back then. “Teachers provided students with many interactive learning activities through the use of technology enhancements. Also, teachers and students could stay in close communication using the online discussion
The Avion, August 23, 2011
tools in Blackboard. Students should know that hybrid courses require them to be technically competent, self-directed, and highly motivated,” Dr.Pedersen said regarding the new method. Nine committee members from the Task Face on Innovation participated in researching innovative instructional practices and recommended that the hybrid course delivery method be further researched this semester. “Our mission is to determine the current environment at the DB campus in relation to the mplementation of innovative instruction and to help our leaders understand what resources are needed in order to implement the exciting, emerging technologies that will help faculty enhance teaching and learning, “ Dr. Waterhouse, Chair of the Task Force, said. According to Dr. Waterhouse, the Task Force based its research on two very significant reports published in 2009. The Chronicle of Higher Education’s report entitled “The College of 2020” focused on what today’s students want in their educational experience and emphasized that students will continue to want more technology-enhanced learning as well as more flexible course delivery options such as hybrid courses. The Department of Education’s “Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning” reports that learning in hybrid and online courses can be as effective as traditional courses due to the implementation of instructional strategies that promote additional student interaction with content and the instructor. Similarly, professors play a big role in developing and integrating the new format to their classes. According to Dr.Waterhouse, certain professors attended focus groups conducted last fall, and she found the faculty eager to get better as instructors. “During the focus group discussions, there was a lot of energy and excitement about the implementation of instructional innovation on our campus. We all want to make sure
that we utilize innovation and technology in ways that help us provide our students with the best learning experience possible. Of course, leadership is always dedicated to providing the best education for students, and the hybrid courses delivered on trial this semester will help them determine the resources and processes needed to insure ongoing instructional innovation,” she said. D r. P e d e r s e n and Dr.Waterhouse both agreed that the disadvantage of hybrid courses is that it takes a lot of time and work to develop the best technology- enhanced learning strategies to aid both students and faculty. “It takes faculty significant time and also requires significant technology tools and training resources for faculty,” Dr, Waterhouse said. In order to participate in the hybrid course trials this semester, faculty were required to go through a training program where they designed the hybrid course and had it evaluated using a “quality rubric,” and finally, the course had to be approved by the Department Chair. “This process is to insure that the hybrid courses we deliver at ERAU are of the highest quality, “ Dr. Waterhouse said. Dr.Waterhouse’s goal for the hybrid program this semester is to be able to demonstrate what is needed to develop and deliver effective hybrid courses. “I want our hybrid courses and our use of instructional technologies to enhance teaching and learning. My number one priority is that students continue to receive a personalized learning experience on our campus and that we utilize technologies and instructional innovations to make continuous improvements for our students. In fact, I would love to hear from students on what they think about hybrid courses and the use of technologies in their learning,” Dr.Waterhouse said. Dr.Waterhouse encourages students to contact her via e-mail if there are any questions regarding this new learning design. The new Spring 2011 catalogue will be released in the upcoming weeks and a clarifying statement
Alumni offer insight to all Ainsley Robson
Campus Editor On Thursday, Oct. 7, Career Services and the Student Alumni Association came together to provide students with the opportunity to talk to an Embry-Riddle panel about different topics of interest. There was a pre-event networking social that started at 5:00 p.m. in the COB Atrium and the panel discussion immediately followed at 5:30 p.m. in COB room 114. The members of this event panel were Ethan Croop, “06 DB” Operations Agent for Lee County Port Authority; Bill Cush, “94 DB” Cessna 402 Fleet Manager for Cape Air/Nantucket Airlines; Jamie Killoch, “03 DB” Analyst Safety Data for JetBlue Airways; Christina Marsh, “89 DB” Acting Assistant Manager, ACE-101 for FAA Small Airplane Directorate; Adam Moore, “04 DB” Senior Software Engineer for Lockheed Martin Corp.; and Kandi Spangler, “99 DB” Vice President, Sales and Marketing for Jet Support Services, Inc. Topics of discussion included how to network and the key question to ask alumni, how well
they were prepared for entering the industry after graduation, co-op and internships, the outlook of the industry, the benefits of multiple languages and international business, and their biggest piece of advice for students. Spangler shared that with networking and talking with alumni, it is important to “introduce with confidence,” and “with great pride.” She also added that you are your own salesman, but also that it is important to ask about them and what they do. During the discussion about how well Embry-Riddle students are prepared for the industry in comparison with other universities out there, Marsh pointed out that the University teaches more practical than theoretical and that at the FAA, they look for Embry-Riddle graduates because of this practical experience in education. All of the panel members seemed to be in agreement that the outlook for the industry seems to be in a positive trend for the better, with the most growth occurring in the international arena. It was also added by Marsh that companies such as the FAA are looking at develop-
Executive Board Editor-in-Chief ............................ Peter Tan Managing Editor ............. Alena Thompson News Editor ............................... Peter Tan Business Manager .................... May Chan Photography Editor ........ Richard Weakley Advertising Manager ........ Ainsley Robson Editorial Staff This special edition was put together through the combined efforts of Peter Tan, Alena Thompson, May Chan, Richard Weakley, Ainsley Robson, Tilford Mansfield, Anthony Sekine, Nick Candrella, Hannah Langhorn, Floyd Perkinson and all those who stopped by the office to cheer us on.
ment programs to increase the number of younger employees that are working at the FAA. Although each panel member had their own piece of advice, all of the advice was actionable items that student could do. Whether it was Croop’s, which was to encourage internship because it allows you to discover a variety of things for you to do and see what you like before graduation, or Killoch’s, which was to never stop learning and networking, and that it can include not eating alone. Overall, Lisa Scott-Kollar, Executive Director of Career Services, added that “I thought the event was amazing and believe everyone got something out of it, the students that took advantage of the event were definitely given an advantage. I do want to recognize the hard work and dedication of our Director of Alumni Career Services, Alicia Smyth, for putting this program together, she did an outstanding job and I was honored to be a part of it. This was the second year for this event and we are already planning for next year. Hopefully attendance will continue to grow as we all know that networking is so important.”
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will describe hybrid courses. Note that next to certain courses the words “HYB” will be printed indicating that they are both face-to-face and incorporated with online work. Online work may be alternated any day of the week depending on the professor that designs it. For example, a professor may assign student to complete all online work on all Fridays of the semester. Look out for the course catalogue for more information or contact Dr.Shirley Whitehouse. Fall Issue 10 - Nov. 23 As the semester comes to an end, students are busy selecting classes for Spring 2011, and modifying their schedules. Hybrid courses are a continuation of one of the latest modifications to class-styles, which the current catalogue does not indicate near each specific hybrid course that is being offered next semester. According to Dr. Ashley Lear, Assistant Professor in the Department of Humanities & Social Sciences, the classes she taught contained students who seemed to adapt well to hybrid courses, and some students who had difficulty adjusting to its format. As a result of bringing back hybrid courses back to campus this semester, student responses were on both ends of the spectrum. Junior Luke Arant is currently enrolled in three hybrid courses and was not aware that his classes were hybrid until the first day of school. Arant, however, took it well and enjoyed working at his own pace. “ I liked that all of the assignments were already posted and I could work ahead…I also liked that we got a day off from class each week to do the online assignment on our own,” Arant stated. Arant was also in favor of hybrid courses’ ability to give him more flexibility. “It [hybrid courses] narrowed my focus. I could sit at home and work on completing the assignment without being distracted by other classmates. Also, a lot more can be done online to help
enhance learning. Discussion boards force everyone to participate to get a grade and you get to see everyone’s response to the assignment where in a classroom not everyone would necessarily participate. Online quizzes can allow for multiple attempts to help you learn the material,” he said. Sophomore Giselle Maranhao felt differently towards her hybrid course. “I realized that the time I had to work on the assignments was about the same and I missed out on an hour of class time every week, which is a lot better than an hour in front of the computer. Simply having a professor there to answer your questions is something that hybrid courses take away from the student,” she said. Maranhao felt that it would have been easier to learn with formal and further explanations in class rather than on a PowerPoint to look at outside of class. Maranhao gave an example of a poem that was posted on her assignments to do by Herself where she did not understand the content even with annotations. According to her, she better understood the poem when her teacher went over it in class the next day. “When I read them on my own, they still did not make much sense to me, even when I read the annotations. However, in the class after the online one; our professor explained the poems again and it caught my attention that she was pretty much saying the same thing she wrote in the annotations, but this time it made more sense to me. I think it was her tone of voice and hand gestures that made everything easier to understand,” she said. Overall, Lear feels that hybrid courses are not for every student. She encourages students who are confident in doing work independently to take hybrid courses. “Not every student is able to engage in self-learning,” Lear said. More specifically, Lear felt that for her literature classes, she encourages students who posses “strong literary/ writing skills and students who are self-disciplined and self-
motivated.” Lear described some of the benefits to hybrid courses, which include room for creativity and a chance for students to “play with learning.” “It’s [hybrid courses] more engaging and best in a literature course where you can use it beyond what you get in a classroom.” She enjoyed posting a variety of assignments that required students to post videos Arant, Maranhao, and Lear all agreed that technical difficulties were an obstacle in these courses. Students felt that teachers worked around them, and Lear said she would often direct students to the IT department to better serve their needs. Lear also stated that it takes quality time and effort to create these online courses, but that hybrid courses are not to be confused with online courses. “On the first day of school, students were cheering thinking that they have a day off from class every week, but they actually had to do work that day,” Lear said. She noted that this is a residential campus, and students come here for a reason. According to data collected in a survey format from three of Dr.Lear’s classes, 21 out of 66 students responded to a survey on how they felt about these courses. Four students said they would not enroll in another hybrid course, and 14 students said that they either agree or strongly agree that they learn as well in a hybrid course as they do in traditional face-toface courses. Lear concluded that she feels that the point of hybrid courses is to get students to take more responsibility as students. “It’s to make them more self-directed learners, it’s crucial that students learn to be analytical to information they see online. Being independent of a classroom will help students in their future careers when they are demanded to work independently,” she said. Hybrid courses are offered next semester, and although they are not indicated in the current catalogue, students may contact Shirley Waterhouse, Director of Academic Excellence and Innovation, for specific listings.