As an academic developer at the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, Rosemary Capps has often consulted with faculty members individually about “blended” or “hybrid” courses, which incorporate online instruction and may reduce face-to-face instruction.

“But there are so many requests that I decided to make a workshop series,” said Capps, announcing the inaugural offering of "(Re)Designing Courses for Hybrid Delivery." It is scheduled to begin Feb. 14 and run through April 10.

CETL is offering the series in conjunction with the Office of the Provost and its new Provost Hybrid Course Award, “designed specifically to encourage excellent instructors to move into the world of blended teaching and learning.”

The provost made four awards:

• Robert Blake and Travis Bradley of the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Blake is a professor and director of the UC Consortium for Language Learning and Teaching, and Bradley is an associate professor.
• Patricia Conrad, Woutrina Miller and Sophia Papageorgiou of the School of Veterinary Medicine. Conrad is a professor, Miller an assistant adjunct professor and Papageorgiou an analyst.
• Naomi Janowitz, professor, Religious Studies Program.
• Jonathan Scholey, professor, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology.

They will be participating in the CETL workshop series, and other faculty members are welcome to join. Capps said each faculty member who participates in at least seven of the eight sessions will receive a $250 minigrant to buy educational materials.

“When designed well, hybrid classes afford faculty and students the flexibility of online learning and the synergy of face-to-face learning,” Capps said.

Workload and time requirement remain the same in a hybrid course. However, such a course adds online interaction and learning activities, while reducing face-to-face time with the instructor.

Take, for example, a traditional course that meets for three hours a week, plus homework. A hybrid format might entail the following:

• Recorded lecture, online — one hour
• Webinar or online discussion — half hour
• Class (in person), for small group activities and question-and-answer session with the instructor — 1½ hours

More information, including the workshop schedule is available online. The workshop is limited to 15 participants, so early registration is advised. To register, send an e-mail to Capps at rcapps@ucdavis.edu.