Hybrid Classes Work Best, Study Says

As practitioners know, there is an ongoing debate about what sort of class presentation works best: distance, traditional (face-to-face), or hybrid. Hybrid classes blend online instruction with frequent face-to-face contact between instructors and students. 

It turns out hybrid is best, at least a according to an interesting study by South Texas College. The STC report is attracting attention nationwide. Researchers at the community college, led by Brenda S. Cole, analyzed the spring 2009 grades of every student enrolled there. The basis for assessing outcomes was straightforward: “A,” “B,” or “C” grades qualified as successful outcomes; “D” and “F” grades counted as unsuccessful.

The data showed that, over all, 82 percent of students of hybrid courses were successful, compared to 72 percent of classroom courses and 60 percent of distance courses. The study was launched out of necessity, because of the current enrollment surge. 

“At the heart of the study was to determine the effectiveness of hybrid instruction to determine its validity as a way to manage a booming student population,” said Dr. Cole. “We do not have the funds to build more buildings immediately and with a more than 20 percent increase in enrollment this fall, we need to find a way to better maximize our resources. We may have very well hit a gold mine in hybrid courses.”

Here's a link to the STC press release for more information.

Here's a link to a recent article on the study in Inside Higher Ed.

Comments

[Carol Lowe]

Our English Dept. offered hybrid classes beginning in 2001/02 for much the same reason, space problems. However, we felt that the hybrid format was a perfect complement to composition instruction.

But we couldn't get students to enroll in the classes. This year we've tried again. With a record college enrollment, I'm teaching the only hybrid comp. section with an initial enrollment of 12.

What are we doing wrong? I'd love to hear from some other colleges about how you're convincing students to take hybrid classes.

[Free Matrimony]

Making hybrid classes we can make face to face contact between instructors and students.By this way we can improve online interaction between teachers and students.Students can save time from this and spent more time on their study.