Saint Leo’s Definition of Hybrid Course Modality
Hybrid courses integrate a variety of modalities, including face-to-face, synchronous video conferencing (via Zoom), and/or asynchronous online instruction. The registrar’s office publishes the class meeting date/time, but the instructor pre-determines which class sessions will meet face-to-face, virtually, or online. The course schedule is determined at the beginning of the term and clearly communicated in the syllabus. For on-ground and virtual meetings, everyone meets in the same modality at the same time. While hybrid courses provide students with more flexible schedules, more importantly, they provide broader and varied teaching and learning opportunities. Faculty may customize learning by designing a wider range of learning experiences using a greater variety of pedagogical modalities, strategies, and tools.
At this time, hybrid course development is a university campus initiative (pilot). Faculty must complete the two required Courses for Teaching and Learning (CTL). Only full-time faculty may apply to develop a hybrid course. All hybrid courses must be approved by the chair of the department.
Hybrid Course Development Policy
- Register and complete the pre-requisite faculty development course: CTL138 Introduction to Hybrid Teaching (approximately 1 hour).
- Obtain department chair approval to develop hybrid course .
- Complete the application to develop a hybrid course.
- Take the required faculty development course, CTL 200 Deeper Dive into Hybrid Course Development.
- CTL 200 entails 8+ hours of course work.
- During the course, the faculty member develops the first 4 modules of their hybrid course.
- The faculty member is issued a Hybrid Sandbox where the new hybrid course will be developed.
- A CTLE Teaching and Learning Specialist will be assigned to support each faculty member during their enrollment in CTL 200 and the development of the new hybrid course.
- After completion of CTL 200, the chair reviews and determines approval for the new hybrid course. If approved, the chair can then request that the registrar place the course on the schedule.
- Upon completion of the course, the faculty member will receive a digital badge. The digital badge (certification to develop a hybrid course) is valid for 2 years.
- If the faculty member wants to develop a course after 2 years, they will need to retake CTL 200 to renew their certification to develop hybrid courses.
Required Faculty Courses for Faculty Development
CTL 138 - Introduction to Hybrid Teaching at Saint Leo
Hybrid courses integrate various formats of instruction, including face-to-face, video conferencing, and or asynchronous online instruction. While hybrid courses enable students to have more flexible schedules, they also provide broader teaching and learning opportunities. This self-paced course introduces participants to hybrid teaching, the hybrid learning models that Saint Leo supports, and a general overview of what hybrid teaching entails.
CTL 200 - Deeper Dive into Hybrid Course Development at SLU
Before enrolling in this course, please refer to CTLE's webpage on Hybrid Teaching for additional information and to complete the application to develop a new hybrid course. CTL 138 -Introduction to Hybrid Teaching at Saint Leo is a prerequisite for this course. Preparation and organization are essential for a successful hybrid course. Regarding hybrid course design, you will want to consider the most effective ways to deliver the instructional content and learning activities. In this self-paced, project-based course, you will determine the various components of each module and then plan the activities, materials, and assessments for the first four modules/weeks of your hybrid course.
Recommended Faculty Courses for Developing a Hybrid Course
CTL-220 Using the LMS to Support On-ground, Hybrid, and Blended Instruction
(Highly Recommended for navigating and creating in D2L) This self-paced course is designed to provide learners with the knowledge, skills, and tools to develop, redevelop, and deliver on-ground, hybrid, or blended courses using the Learning Management System (LMS). The primary focus will be on using the LMS as an efficient means of delivering on-ground and or blended courses. Topics include Collaboration Tools, Creating Videos, Discussion Boards, Feedback Tools, Uploading Content, Backward Design, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL).
CTL-111 Creating Module-Level Objectives
This course introduces participants to the practice of creating module-level objectives for courses and provides opportunities to assess and create well-written objectives.
CTL 114 - Active Learning in the Online Environment
The goal of this course is to introduce faculty to the theoretical foundations, design practices, and practical techniques for creating active, engaging online courses. This course is self-paced, and we estimate it will take about an hour to complete, depending on the level of experience. While the primary audience for this course is faculty who are new to online instruction and design, it may also be beneficial for those faculty who are redesigning existing courses and wish to include more engaging assignments for their learners.
CTL 115 - Introduction to Universal Design for Learning
Introduces participants to Universal Design for Learning and provides core knowledge in key areas, including accessibility, accommodations, assistive technologies, and a general overview of how to use the UDL framework for planning instruction for diverse learners.
CTL 118 - Developing Engaging and Inclusive Discussion Questions
In most online courses, discussion boards become the heart of the class. Unfortunately, students and faculty alike sometimes fear that they are inauthentic and feel disconnected from the content. In this course, we will explore unique ways to create and facilitate discussions that are engaging, social, and supportive of learning and connection. Additionally, this course is presented through the lens of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and offers foundational knowledge about Universal Design for Learning and how it can be applied specifically to discussion boards.
CTL 119 - Building Community in Online Courses
Online courses, especially those that are asynchronous, present unique challenges for building community. This CTL presents not only best practices in online community building but also strategies that integrate familiar technologies in ways that facilitate feelings of connectedness and belonging.
CTL 123 - Collaborative Notetaking
Collaborative notetaking can be helpful in situations where students are socially distancing and/or participating in class virtually. Learn more about this strategy and develop a plan for how collaborative notes can be constructed in your courses.
Additional Resources
about Hybrid Learning Models
Strategic Blended Learning in Higher Education
5 Ways to Support Flexible Learning Models
3 Reasons Higher Ed Will Move to Multiple Learning Modalities
A Guide to Hybrid and Blended Learning in Higher Education
Course Design Models that Combine in Person and Online Components: Definitions and Examples
Understanding Blended Learning
Strategies to Support Hybrid Teaching
6 Quick Ways to Be More Inclusive in a Virtual Classroom
How to Make Your Teaching More Engaging
How to Improve and Promote Student Engagement in the Online Classroom
The importance of Listening to Student Learning (Listening-centric learning in a hybrid class)
8 Ways to be More Inclusive in Your Zoom Teaching
How to Get Started with Hybrid Teaching
How to Make Your Teaching More Inclusive
15 Ways to Engage Your Students In-person, Online, and in Zoom
Other Resources
Planning for a Blended Future (Guide)
