Hybrid Courses

Quincy [IL] Herald-Whig - a new hybrid course at John Wood Community College (JWCC)

Christine Wiewel looks forward to a teaching experiment next semester at John Wood Community College. Wiewel, professor of language and literature at JWCC, will offer the college’s first “hybrid” course, a combination of structured classroom teaching and online learning. “We’ve been doing online classes for a while, but this will be the first that will require face-to-face interaction,” said Wiewel, who will teach English 102, Rhetoric and Composition II, as a hybrid course. “This blend of formats will integrate the best of both delivery systems. Students get the flexibility of being able to work at home at the times most convenient to them, but they also can develop a relationship with the instructor.”

Students will meet with Wiewel at JWCC five times during the semester, with online e-mails, discussions, bulletin boards and chatrooms used the rest of the term. The Saturday sessions will provide time for some traditional lecture presentations, testing, class discussions, in-class writing and work on group projects, as well as an opportunity for participants to get to know each other. The Saturday meeting time was selected to accommodate students who cannot easily fit day or evening classes into their schedules. In addition to being convenient for students, hybrid classes also could help colleges address the problems of limited classroom and parking space, said JWCC Dean of Transfer Education Randy Greenwell.