Leveraging Digital Learning Environments

Courses can be classified as fully online, blended/hybrid/hyflex or in-person, depending on how much teaching and learning happens online. If students are engaged in a substantial amount of learning activities or assessments online then the course is considered to be a blended or hybrid course. What constitutes a substantial amount of online activities is debated given that most students and instructors access much of their learning resources online – even in a traditional in-person course.

Often, courses are blended through the use of online lecture videos or modules. This can allow students to reinforce what they have learned in class or extend learning to other topics following the content of that week. Online modules can also facilitate a Flipped Classroom design in which content is delivered through videos, readings and online discussions in the student’s own time and class time is used to engage them in problem solving activities, group discussions, debates, etc.

There are many pros and cons to such an approach so if you are considering this kind of design for your course, do feel free to reach out to the MacPherson Institute for a consultation.