The second result in my initial search on hybrid courses was for a series of them being offered at UW-Milwaukee. While this likely has more to do with Google's knowledge that I live in Wisconsin than the actual prominence of the curriculum (stupid filter bubble), it did give some immediate insight into the subject. The description given on how the courses work indicates that the focus is much more on the online aspects of the course, while not eliminating face-to-face time altogether. It presents what I see as the main differentiation from LIS 201, in that the online aspects seem to be more prominent. While there is a fair amount of online work and activities in this class, it is still primarily grounded in the traditional class model.
Looking back, I can't help but feel that the online assignments and work we were often given was disconnected from the main path of the class. The relation between the two often felt tangential, not essential. Furthermore, the work and discussion in the physical world almost always felt more practical and useful. Many of the online aspects felt like simple assignments, not ways of connecting with other students. This isn't to frown upon the use of these online resources in coursework, rather, they should be integrated more deeply, intertwining them with the rest of the class.
Finally, much of the work in this class did me the benefit of enlightening me to subjects I was not previously aware of. However, I struggled to find an application for some of it. The learning and knowledge was clearly there, it just boiled down to wondering what to use it for. It really had nothing to do with the online assignments, I just went back to question of what to do with the information I was taking in. It's not a new question, but I found it pooping up again, which was a bit disappointing.
1 comment:
Joey,
When I researched Hybrid Course I also discovered UW Milwaukee, and the same though of the filter bubble popped in my head. While some of the online activities did feel disconnected from the material we were learning, I found a few of these assignments to be rather interesting. At the very least they improved my researching skills. Do you think that possibly you gained some better researching skills because of this class? As for application of this material, I'm with you. I am glad that I am aware of how society has been changing and what is going on in the world, but I am just not sure what to do with this information.
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