Thursday, August 2, 2012

Hybrid Courses Vs Traditional Courses

Hybrid courses are more flexible than traditional courses.


A recent survey conducted for the U.S. Department of Education shows that students in hybrid courses perform better than those in traditional courses. Hybrid courses and traditional courses have several differences which make each form unique.


Identification


While traditional courses are conducted solely face-to-face in the classroom, hybrid courses combine online learning with face-to-face classroom learning.


Features


Traditional courses and the on-campus portion of hybrid courses are, of course, held in real time. However, the online learning portion of hybrid courses can either be held synchronously (live), or asynchronously (via archived lectures).


Geography


Traditional courses require that students travel to a campus or physical location for every lecture. Hybrid courses offer students the flexibility of learning both at home and at campus locations.


Considerations








Traditional courses offer a maximum amount of personal interaction and face-to-face interactivity. While hybrid courses offer less personal interactivity, they provide greater scheduling flexibility and autonomy.


Misconceptions


The face-to-face nature of traditional courses does not necessarily provide for optimal learning. In fact, studies show that students in hybrid courses have better learning outcomes than students learning solely on-campus due to the flexibility of hybrid courses and the self-reliance they demand.

Tags: hybrid courses, traditional courses, courses offer, that students, courses have