1

Hybrid Course for Business Programs

Table of Contents
Leveille 2
Introduction.....................................................................................................................................3
Institutional Profile..........................................................................................................................3
Goals/b!ectives.............................................................................................................................."
Content............................................................................................................................................#
$odalities........................................................................................................................................%
&acilitation.......................................................................................................................................%
C'allenges........................................................................................................................................(
)ssessment.......................................................................................................................................(
*valuation........................................................................................................................................(
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................+
,eferences.......................................................................................................................................-
3
Introduction
.ue to t'e c'anging demogra/'ics of students0 'ig'er education institutes are Hybrid or
blended model is defined as classes t'at instruction ta1es /lace in a traditional classroom setting
t'at su//lements com/uter2based or online activities t'at can re/lace classroom seat time 34cida
5 4aury0 266%7. 8'e 'ybrid model /rovides an attractive alternative to non2traditional students.
Because t'e model is designed to 'ave fe9er /'ysical meetings times0 t'is allo9s for more
fle:ibility for students 9'o are also 9or1ings and commuting to cam/us 38abor0 266(7. 8'e
'ybrid model is needed for t'e Case 4tudy Institute in order to evolve t'e graduate /rograms to
meet t'e needs of t'eir students and /ros/ective students.
In order to remain com/etitive among t'e ot'er business /rograms in t'e area and
increase student retention in t'e *vening $B) and Hig' 8ec' $B) /rograms 'ybrid course
model needs to be incor/orated into t'e /rograms. 8'e 'ybrid course model /ro/osal 9ill be
incor/orate an overvie9 of t'e institution0 goals and ob!ectives of t'e model0 'o9 t'e model 9ill
be structured0 im/lementation of t'e model including guidelines for t'e faculty to follo90
assessment of t'e course model0 and evaluation of t'e 'ybrid model.
Institutional Profile
8'e Case 4tudy Institution0 referred to as C4I for t'e remainder of t'is /ro/osal0 is a
graduate business sc'ool 9it'in a four2year researc' institution. C4I offers a variety of $asters
Business /rograms0 for t'e /ur/ose of t'is /ro/osal0 t'e *vening $B) and Hig' 8ec' $B)0
9ill be revie9ed. 8'e *vening $B) is a /art2time /rogram t'at offers a fle:ible sc'edule for
9or1ing /rofessionals0 t9o classes in one evening on main cam/us0 and o//ortunity to
/artici/ate in t9o29ee1 international summer /rograms. 8'e %6 credit *vening $B) /rogram
ty/ically ta1es from 22( years and 'as an average class si;e of %2 students 3<C4I2 &ast &acts=0
Leveille "
26137. 8'e Hig' 8ec' $B) /rogram is designed for 9or1ing /rofessionals loo1ing to focus on
business innovation and gro9t' and features t9o local residencies. 8'e %6 credit Hig' 8ec'
$B) is offers a fi:ed curriculum in a co'ort2based /rogram t'at begins every 4e/tember and
'olds class alternating 8uesday nig'ts and 4aturdays for 21 mont's 3<C4I2 &ast &acts=0 26137.
Bot' $B) /rograms are 'eld at C4I>s main Boston Cam/us and a geared to9ard 9or1ing
/rofessionals.
Goals/Objectives
8'e overall goal for t'is /rogram is to im/lement t'e 'ybrid course model into t'e
*vening $B) and Hig' 8ec' $B) /rogram. 8'e model 9ill be added to t'ese /rograms in
addition to 1ee/ing t'e on2cam/us courses. )ccording to 8abor 3266(70 <fe9er /'ysical meetings
re/resent less travel time for commuting students and an attractive alternative for non2traditional
or 9or1ing students 3/g."+7.= &or t'e *vening $B)0 t'e 'ybrid model>s main goal is to ensure
fle:ibility for t'e current students0 9'o often 'ave 9or1 commitments or travel for 9or1 t'at
affects t'eir course sc'edule and /rogram com/letion time. Current students 'ave to /lan t'eir
courses de/ending on t'eir 9or1 or /ersonal sc'edule to ensure t'at t'ey do not miss any classes.
By creating t'e 'ybrid course model0 t'is 9ould allo9 for students to /lan t'eir 9or1 or /ersonal
sc'edule according to 9'en t'ey 9ill 'ave t'eir online com/onent. 8'e Hig' 8ec' /rogram is
currently arranged t'at students alternate 'aving 8uesday nig't and 4aturday Classes. 8'e 'ybrid
course model 9ould be created in /lace of t'e 8uesday nig't classes in order to create a more
fle:ible /rogram for t'e students. In addition to creating fle:ibility0 t'is 9ould incor/orate a
/ositive message for a /rogram t'at is centered on innovation and tec'nology by e:/anding t'e
use of tec'nology in education.
#
)long 9it' creating fle:ibility for current students t'e 'ybrid course model 9ill also
become one of t'e main uni?ue features for bot' t'e *vening and Hig' 8ec' $B). Currently in
t'e Boston area graduate business /rograms only Babson 'as a model closest to t'e 'ybrid
course model. Babson College 'as a fast2trac1 /art2time $B) /rogram t'at 'olds an intensive 2
@ day face2to2face sessions0 'eld from 8'ursday2 4aturday a//ro:imately every seven 9ee1s as
9ell as a distance learning com/onent 3Babson $B) Program Com/arison0 26137. In addition to
t'is business /rogram0 C4I also is com/eting 9it' Boston Aniversity0 Boston College0 Brandeis
Aniversity and 4uffol1 Aniversity for evening students. By incor/orating a 'ybrid model in
9'ic' students are not re?uired to be on cam/us more but cuts t'eir on cam/us time in 'alf 9ill
allo9 C4I to develo/ a com/etitive advantage in t'e Boston business sc'ool mar1et.
Content
8'e 'ybrid model 9ill be develo/ment by a selection of ten faculty members. 8'e faculty
members 9ill attend a 'ybrid model course design seminar toget'er in order to redesign t'eir
current courses affectively. 8'e ten faculty members 9ill focus t'eir course redesign on core
curriculum courses t'at re?uired of all students. 8'ese courses often 'ave many sections t'at
9ould allo9 students to c'oose 9'et'er or not t'ey 9ould li1e to /artici/ate in a 'ybrid course
rat'er t'an forcing t'em to. )ccording to Hybrid Course .esign 326137 t'ere are ste/s
recommended to ta1e to redesign a course for 'ybrid delivery including0 considering 'ybrid
format and c'aracteristics to determine /ro/ortions of face2to2face and online time0 detailed loo1
at activities traditionally used 3i.e. /resentations0 in2class activities0 'ome9or1//ro!ect70
determine 9'at activities s'ould be /resent in class or redesigned for online0 build course
com/onents0 outline t'e flo9 of course activities and course sc'edule0 create and integrate a
structured blac1board course0 and evaluate course using student feedbac1. 8'e 'ybrid courses
Leveille %
9ill be im/lemented using Blac1board0 9'ic' students already use for on cam/us courses. In
order to ensure t'at students are fully /re/ared a Blac1board orientation0 similar to CP4>s 9ill be
im/lemented. 8'e orientation 9ill outline guidelines for success in 'ybrid courses as 9ell as
s'o9 students 'o9 to use tools and /rograms t'at 9ill 'el/ t'roug'out t'e course. Course
curriculum for t'e 'ybrid courses s'ould be similar to ot'er course sections being taug't but also
incor/orate more tec'nology and online activities t'at can e:/and students> 1no9ledge.
Modalities
8'e 'ybrid model 9ill use async'ronous a//roac'es suc' as case studies0 s'aring ne9s
items and a//lication of t'eory to /ersonal e:/erience. 8'ese are currently similar a//roac'es to
on cam/us business courses so t'ey s'ould remain a large /art of t'e online activities. 8'e
'ybrid model 9ill be instructor led to follo9 t'e same follo9 and re?uirements as on cam/us
courses. 8'e courses s'ould be similar to t'e on cam/us courses in order to remain consistent
9it' student e:/ectations. )s stated Blac1board 9ill be t'e learning management system t'at
delivers t'e courses. Bot only are students familiar 9it' t'e system but faculty at C4I 'ave
e:/erience using it. In addition0 C4I /rovides tec'nological su//ort to faculty members and staff
to 'el/ 9it' an issues or ?uestions t'at arise in course /lanning or e:ecution. 8'e tools and
a//lications used for t'e online /ro/ortion of t'e course 9ill incor/orate online 'ome9or1 9it'
instant feedbac10 discussion boards t'at facilitate collaboration bet9een students0 interactive
lectures0 and online /resentation tools 3i.e. grou/ 9i1i>s0 storify0 /re;i>s0 etc7.
Facilitation
ne of t'e ma!or strengt's to 'ybrid courses is t'at it fosters student>s online engagement
and interactivity. Hybrid instructors 9ill be res/onsible for learning 'o9 to facilitate and
manager online interaction 3)ycoc10 et al.0 26627. &or t'e on cam/us /ortion of t'e course0
(
faculty 9ill deliver lectures t'at also incor/orate student interaction. 4tudents and faculty 9ill
communicate bot' in class and t'roug' Blac1board using email0 discussion boards0 and
Blac1board messaging. &aculty members 9ill be taug't in a 'ybrid course seminar rules and
guidelines to follo9 for best /ractices for t'is model including 'istorical bac1ground of online
and 'ybrid courses0 'ybrid terminology0 ?uality standards0 tec'nology resources and ti/s0 as 9ell
as /artici/ating t'emselves in a 'ybrid course to gain a student>s /ers/ective 3,ust0 26117.
Challenges
8'e main c'allenge for t'is /ro/osal is t'e initial creating of t'e 'ybrid course model for
t'e /rograms. <8'e u/front develo/ment time for online courses is e:tensive and careful to/ic
and activity selection is necessary to ma:imi;e t'e return on t'is time investment 38abor0 266(0
/g. "+7.= Creating t'e 'ybrid model 9ill not only re?uire monetary resources but also re?uire
faculty members to invest t'eir time in creating a curriculum t'at is affective.
Assessment
&aculty members 9ill assess students by 'ome9or1 assignments0 course /artici/ation
bot' online and on cam/us0 grou/ /ro!ects and course /a/ers. &aculty 9ill use Blac1board
grading system to 1ee/ students informed on t'eir course /rogress. &or online assignments0
students 9ill be graded automatically t'roug' t'e online grading system and 9ill also turn /a/ers
into turnitin.com to be mar1ed online. &or any assignments done in /erson0 t'e faculty member
9ill /ost a grade 9it' comments in my grades on Blac1board.
Evaluation
In order to evaluation t'e student res/onse t'ere 9ill be a number of student evaluations
to trac1 t'eir e:/ectations and reactions to t'e 'ybrid course model. 8'ere 9ill be a /re2course
survey and introduction0 a midcourse c'ec12u/0 and a /ost2course evaluation in addition to t'e
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normal course evaluations given for every business course t'at evaluates t'e /rofessor0 course0
and content. )s any 'ybrid course must allo9 for fle:ibility and evolving /roduct0 faculty 9ill
loo1 to u/date t'eir curriculum based on student feedbac1 and current to/ics 38abor0 266(7. In
addition to t'e student evaluations0 faculty members 9ill also be evaluated on t'eir /erce/tion of
t'e course and t'e student outcomes and ma1e t'e a//ro/riate c'anges to t'e course and
curriculum. &aculty members s'ould al9ays be loo1ing for ideas0 materials0 and ne9 tools to
engage students and assist 9it' teac'ing. )t t'e end of eac' academic year0 t'e faculty members
t'at 9ere enrolled in t'e 'ybrid course seminar 9ill come toget'er to reflect on t'eir courses and
gain insig't from ot'er faculty members on 9'at 9or1ed 9ell or not so 9ell. 8'is 9ill o/en t'e
door for collaboration bet9een faculty members and allo9 for s'ared resources 9'en it comes to
tools0 materials0 and readings for 'ybrid course curriculum.
Conclusion
.>)more2$cCim 4c'ool of Business0 graduate /rograms needs to redefine t'eir course
offerings to meet t'e demands of t'eir students. Im/lementing t'e 'ybrid course /ro/osal as
stated above 9ill not only lead to student retention but 9ill also im/rove com/etitive advantage
for t'ese /rograms.
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References
)ycoc10 ).0 Garn'am0 C. 5 Caleta0 ,. 326627. Lessons Learned from t'e Hybrid Course Pro!ect.
8eac'ing 4c'olars &orum. ,etrieved from 'tt/D//999.u9sa.edu/ttt/articles/garn'am2.'tm
Babson $B) Program Com/arison. 326137. Babson College. ,etrieved from
'tt/D//999.babson.edu/graduate/admissions//rograms/Pages//rogram2com/arison.as/:
C4I2 &ast &acts. 326137. ,etrieved from 'tt/D//damore2mc1im.nort'eastern.edu/grad/
,ust0 E. 326117. ,a/id .evelo/ment of Hybrid Courses for .istance *ducationD ) $id9estern
Aniversity>s Pilot Pro!ect. ,etrieved from
'tt/D//999.9estga.edu/Fdistance/o!dla/fall1"3/rust1"3.'tml
4cida0 *. 5 4aury0 ,. 3266%7. Hybrid courses and t'eir im/act on student and classroom
/erformanceD a case study at t'e Aniversity of Girginia. CALICO Journal. ,etreived
from 'tt/sD//calico.org/memberBro9se./'/HactionIarticle5idI16"
8abor. 4. 3266(7. Barro9ing t'e distance0 im/lementing a 'ybrid learning model for
information security education. The Quarterly Review of Distance Education. ,etreived
from 'tt/D//robin9offord.9i1i.9estga.edu/file/vie9/2"-#+621./df