Making Hybrids Work

The hybrid instructional mode, which combines online and face-to-face learning in a single course, has, according to the National Education Association, the potential to maximize student learning in the twenty-first century. And interest in hybrids is growing-by administrators, by faculty, and by students. But a truly effective hybrid curriculum works only when colleges and universities invest in broad, institutional planning and decision making, as well as strong professional development opportunities for faculty. Making Hybrids Work provides a resource for institutions of higher education to grow and sustain quality hybrid curricula, outlining an institutional framework by focusing on defining and advertising hybrids; developing, supporting, and assessing hybrid programs; and training faculty. To examine the reality rather than the hype of a hybrid curriculum, authors Joanna N. Paull and Jason Allen Snart look at several existing hybrid courses in a variety of disciplines, as well as explore the possibilities and limitations of teaching with technology.Although there is no one easy path to instituting a hybrid curriculum, the authors argue that the hybrid model might well offer a potential "best of both worlds" in its blending of online and face-to-face instruction, but only with a strong foundation of institutional planning and professional support in place.