DE Oracle @ UMUC

Faculty Perspectives on Using WebTycho to Enhance a Face-to-Face Class

CSI Staff

Staff Writer

Center for Support of Instruction

Published: May-June 2006

Category: » Online-pedagogy » Teaching-strategies

Dr. Ted Field fully used WebTycho features to enhance several of his face-to-face classes, including ADMN659, Strategic Management of Not-For-Profit Organizations. He noted,

There was no down time in the class, the students were fully engaged, they were much more active in taking charge of their learning, and I could spend less time on procedure and more time on substance in class...

The f2f and the online taken together increased the range of formats and activities of students, allowing them to discover more of their strengths and to take advantage of the benefits of both mediums...

All in all, the web-enhanced version provided a much more satisfying teaching experience than either a f2f or totally online stand alone version. I think that is reflected in one of the highest evaluations I have ever received.

Dr. Field made these specific comments on his experience using WebTycho to enhance his face-to-face class:

1. Web-enhancing a f2f classroom is a lot of work.  However, it is work well worth doing because it will improve the f2f classroom as well as improve future WebTycho classes you may teach.
   
2. In my classroom, I used the course content section to upload supplemental lecture notes and materials I would normally distribute in class, such as tables, charts, and matrices.  This had the decided advantage that I did not have to bring hardcopy to class with me.  Students did not have to be burdened with extra paper.  At the end of my course, they could print out the materials and have a strategy development workbook for use on the job.
   
3. I used the webliography and library functions to "force" students to use research resources. Those features when combined with an assignment to write an annotated bibliography directed students into professional and academic literature at a fast clip.
   
4. The conference feature was used to stimulate class discussion during the week.  When the class did convene, students were more enthusiastic and ready to work.  They were organized into discussion groups which readily picked up where the online conference ended.  This enabled me to design a semester-long continuous learning experience combining the strengths of both f2f and online formats.
   
5. Students were required to submit all assignments using the WebTycho assignment function.  This clearly indicated when an assignment was submitted, which helped me enforce deadlines.  I could edit students' assignments with my comments and return them electronically.  Again, I did not have to carry around a lot of hard copy.  If students had questions about their grades or my comments, that discussion was confined to emails.  More f2f time could be devoted to teaching rather than course administration, etc.
   
6. The web-enhanced course was a dress rehearsal for the online version.  I received comments each course period from students about what worked and didn't work with the online version.  Their realtime feedback was invaluable in helping me assess and design the fully online WebTycho version.
   
7. Students do travel for work and do have personal issues which occasionally prevent them from attending class.  The enhanced version allowed me to totally avoid the "what did I miss" or the "I didn't know" questions.