Religious Studies News

The results from both the assessment tool, as well as student comments, suggest that the blended/hybrid format can be a strong modality that creates a powerful and positive teaching and learning environment. For instance, in the Spring 2010 semester, on the assessment measures of autonomy, competence, and learning climate — a combination of autonomy, competence, and relatedness — the blended course exceeded my seated course on every measure. The other learning climate ingredient of relatedness was virtually the same in both my seated and blended courses. Nothing was lost, and there was actually some gain in decreased face-to-face time that allows for increased student preparation time.

Though this particular course was a 100-level, introductory, general education course, I approached the interplay between the class meeting with the students and the weekly preparation by the students much like an upper-level seminar course. The expected level of interaction with the content and the application of the content in the classroom with classmates in one-on-one, small group, or large group guided discussions provided subtle motivation for the students to read, watch, listen, and prepare well. The peer responses to their preparation of discussion guides, their reading of select paragraphs in written assignments, and their group analysis of philosophies and theories created a natural motivation to come prepared to class. 

So, in conclusion, why move toward blended courses, especially in our field of religious studies?

• Students come to class more prepared.
• There are more quality and extended class discussions on the topics that drew us to this field. One student wrote:
  I have never had a class in college that worked in groups as much as your class did, and it was really nice. I really enjoyed being able to hear other people’s opinion on topics and getting to know other people in the class. So many of the classes here on campus, ok most of them, are just so routinely taught. You come into the class and listen to your professor lecture for an hour or more. There usually isn’t much interaction with the other students. So it was really nice to be able to come to a class that switched it up, where it was encouraged for you to discuss things with other students in the class (Sheila).
• The quality of face-to-face engagement with instructor, class, and content increases.
• Students come to class with questions about the content!
• The asynchronous nature gives students options of when, where, and how to complete much of the course. What I find especially notable is that the high level of autonomy the students experienced in the blended course was also associated with their experience of competence in the course. When given choices, resources, and clear directions (autonomy), they felt more competent. When students feel competent, they are more motivated.
• Nontraditional students are especially attracted to these courses. Often, nontraditional students take online courses, because of the demands on their time and because many are driving from a distance to take classes, since they cannot easily relocate. The blended course decreases the time they have to travel to come to campus and, at the same time, gives them the instructor contact they often wish they had in online courses. It is the best of both worlds for them, especially.
• More content is covered without compromising engagement.
• Students can process the lecture portion at their own pace and method (and preferred learning time and environment). Students for whom English is not their first language especially appreciate this opportunity to have the time and space to grasp the online lecture material.
• If classroom learning is active and directly tied to the online content and weekly preparation, students can’t just “show up.” At the more extrinsic level of motivation, students don’t want to “lose face” with their class by not showing up prepared. At the more intrinsic levels, they find that when they prepare, they feel competent and their interest goes up.
• With regard to institutional interests, the blended format alleviates the strain that many universities and colleges have on available classroom space. For instance, another blended course instructor and I share the same classroom; I meet with my blended course at 12:30 on Tuesday, and he meets with his blended course at 12:30 on Thursday in the same classroom. One more classroom would have to be available at that time if we were both teaching traditional face-to-face classes. Blended courses potentially double classroom availability!
• With regard to instructors’ interests, the blended format provides some scheduling efficiency in the classroom. For instance, I teach my “Introduction to Religion” blended course at 12:30 on Tuesdays; then, I teach my “First-Year Programs” blended course at 12:30 on Thursdays. Thus, the traditional Tuesday through Thursday instructional time allows me to teach two classes in a slot in which I would traditionally only be able to teach one class.
• The format opens up new possibilities for classroom involvement for students.  Particularly, one student commented:
  This class has challenged me to be more engaged in the classroom. I have always just been the student to sit there and not say much. But in this class with all of the group work, I have said my thoughts to the groups that I have been in. I think this will benefit me because now in other classes I know it is ok to speak up and talk (MacKenzie).