What is the best way to balance online and face-to-face components in your course?

1 Define your goals and outcomes

Before you decide how much time and effort to allocate to online and face-to-face components, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve with your course and how you will measure your success. What are the main skills and knowledge that your students should acquire by the end of the course? How will you assess their progress and performance? How will you align your online and face-to-face activities with your goals and outcomes? These questions will help you determine the purpose and scope of each mode and avoid duplication or gaps in your content and delivery.

2 Choose a suitable blended learning model

Different types of blended learning models exist, varying in the amount and type of online and face-to-face interaction. Examples include the flipped classroom, where students access online materials and complete assignments before class; rotation, where students move between online and face-to-face activities; flex, where students have more control over their learning path; and enriched virtual, where students complete most of their work online but attend face-to-face sessions for reinforcement. When selecting a model, consider your goals and outcomes, students' characteristics and expectations, and logistical and technical constraints. Additionally, be prepared to adapt your model based on feedback and data.

3 Design effective online and face-to-face components

Once you have chosen a blended learning model, you need to design online and face-to-face components that are engaging, relevant, and complementary. To do this, consider using a variety of media and formats for your online components, such as videos, podcasts, quizzes, simulations, or games. Provide clear instructions and expectations for activities and assignments, and use tools such as forums, chats, blogs, or wikis to facilitate interaction and collaboration. Additionally, ensure you give timely and constructive feedback throughout the online learning process. For face-to-face components, use the time to deepen and apply the online learning rather than repeat or review it. Encourage active learning such as discussions, debates, case studies or projects that foster critical thinking, problem-solving and creativity. Finally, provide opportunities for students to share their online work with their classmates and the instructor; monitor progress and performance; and address any issues or difficulties that arise.

4 Communicate and collaborate with your students and colleagues

Communication and collaboration are essential for the success of any blended learning course, so it's important to do this regularly and effectively. When communicating with your students, explain the goals and outcomes of the blended learning model, as well as the online and face-to-face components. Make sure to address any questions or concerns they may have, and establish clear communication norms and expectations. Throughout the course, provide feedback and support to your students, and solicit their feedback and suggestions as well. When collaborating with colleagues who are involved in blended learning, such as other instructors or instructional designers, share your ideas, experiences, and best practices. Additionally, seek their assistance when encountering any problems or difficulties with your blended learning course. Finally, participate in professional development opportunities and communities of practice related to blended learning.

5 Evaluate and improve your blended learning course

Finally, you should evaluate and improve your blended learning course regularly and systematically, utilizing various sources and methods of data collection and analysis. Student feedback, such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, or reflections, can be used to assess their satisfaction, engagement, motivation, and learning outcomes. Student performance data, such as grades, test scores, portfolios, or projects can be collected to measure their achievement of the goals and outcomes of your blended learning course. Additionally, it is important for the instructor to reflect on their own experience while teaching the blended learning course. Consider the challenges and opportunities, successes and failures, and lessons learned from your blended learning course in order to plan and implement changes or enhancements.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?