Post 3

As I wrap up the second semester I have finally realized what will help me most in a hybrid class. It's a collaboration! Because you cannot meet with the teacher as much as a regular class, it is on you to contact and connect with fellow students. Peer editing and simple advice can be crucial when piecing together a large writing assignment. The professor is busy with emails and grading so it is difficult for them to help you so you have to help each other. Students are smart and filled with great new ideas that can positively impact your work more than you might currently believe. Give it a try; find a partner and develop something great.

post 3

At first I was a little hesitant about taking a hybrid course, but now that I have survived the semester I am extremely happy with my decision to take it. Basically I have noticed that if you complete all the online activities and put forth the effort to all the essays, you will undoubtedly pass with a decent grade. If you slack throughout the semester and lack getting the work done than you are definitely in danger of failing the class. The biggest piece of advice that I could give anyone considering a hybrid class would be to do the work! It's not difficult to do the work when it's due and if you are forgetful than make a calendar and write in the due dates of assignments. And to make your hybrid class easier on you, do the work ahead of time so your not stressing last minute to get it done.

Getting Help

I have found out that it is not good to be timid about getting help in these hybrid classes. If you need help you should ask as soon as possible. The professor is a really good person to talk to because he/she is grading your paper after all and can give some really good points. Another great place to seek help is with the writing center. As all my professors tell me: "you pay for it in your tuition so you might as well use it!" Even if you do not care if you are paying for it, it is still a great tool that can really put some "umph" in your paper. Finally use your peers, I have found that they can provide some really good comments. And remember, it's your work and you are in control, so take the wheel!

Post 3

Now that this semester is over, I have really learned how to be successful in an hybrid class or an online class. The main key in being successful in this type of class is to stay organized and make sure you stay on top of all of your assignments. If you do not stay organized we will easily fall behind and miss assignments. Just missing one assignment can hold you back a letter grade. Also, fully comprehending what is asked by the professor is a major fact that can help you thrive in this type of environment. When you do not completely understand the professor, make sure you email them and ask questions.

POST #3

Now that I've officially gone through a semester of taking an online and hybrid class, I highly recommend it to anyone who is considering it. I love the fact that you work on your own time, and everything is convenient and online. Like I said before, just because the class is online, or partially online, does not mean that it is in any way easier or less work. I thought there was more work with an online class than in the classroom. They way to manage it all is to conduct your time management skills accordingly. Plan out your week efficiently on what you have to do, and when every assignment is due. Taking a class online definitely improved my time management skills in a way that I use my planner every day with everything written down. Taking an online or hybrid class is definitely a must try in college, but I would recommend to take at least one a semester.

Post 3

Now that my first hybrid class is over, I am so glad that I got to take this class. I would highly recommend taking this class to others. I loved everything about this class from being able to make your own schedule because a lot of the work is online, to still being able to have class and get help from your teacher. I feel that a hybrid class is way better than a fully online class and after taken both of these types of classes my vote definitely goes to the hybrid. If I had to give some advice to students that have never taken a hybrid class before, I would say that you need to be organized. Just because you do not have class every day does not mean you can slack off and not do your work. You need to create a schedule or just take an hour out of everyday to focus on your upcoming assignments. While doing some more research about hybrid class, I found more ways to be successful in a hybrid class. This link gives you some ways to that can be very helpful. http://www.tltgroup.org/flashlight/Handbook/hybrid_courses.htm I also found some reasons why people should take hybrid class. According to http://courses.durhamtech.edu/tlc/www/html/Special_Feature/hybridclasses.htm there are many different reasons that people would want to take a hybrid class, and after reading some of these reasons, that may be enough for them to sign up. So overall hybrid classes are a great new way to learn that is fun and very flexible which every college student loves. So next semester tell some friends to try it out, they have nothing to loose.

Post 3

After coming to the end of my second hybrid class I realized that they are more work than I expected. Many people automatically see the words virtual or hybrid class and think that they are getting a break. The truth is that just because the class involves little or no physical contact with other students or the instructor does not necessarily mean that class will be easier. In some cases online classes can be just as hard or even harder than traditional classes. My final advice for being successful in an online or hybrid class is, never underestimate the class because it is online. Be prepared to do the same amount of work as in a traditional class and make sure you stay on top of assignments because you do not have someone constantly keeping you up on things that are due. Stay self motivated and do not slack and be careful of procrastinating.

Post 3

So if you want to succeed in an online hybrid writing class you have to be persistent. You have to be able to check your email everyday and make sure you keep yourself well organized and on top of all your work and assignments. Its tough for a lot of people to be able to remember to stay on top of it all with other classes and extra-curricular activities. You also need to learn how to not procrastinate when it comes to doing your work. Therefore if you wish to succeed in an online hybrid class you must be able to stay focused and be aware. For further help on learning to improve your online class skills you can read this article: http://www.thejournal.com/articles/14683

Post 3

I was struggling with what to write for my final post when i saw that one student asked their friends what they thought of a hybrid class, rather than talking about what i think of them i also asked my friends. My one friend hates online. They feel more comfortable being able to talk with the teacher on a regular basis and feel they have a stronger connection with the class if they are actually going to a class. It also is better to get the help you need rather than waiting on a teacher to email you back. Another friend feels they are amazing, because she likes being able to do it on her own time and feels that being able to talk with the teacher through email is just as effective in person.

Post 3

Personally I believe that the main thing that helps someone do well in a hybrid class is not getting lazy. Just go online look at you tasks you must do and do them by the due date. Attend all class meeting you can because that is where you will get your main info. making it easy to know what assignments you have to do by what time. These are the two most important parts of someone doing well in a hybrid class. Mommy and daddy aren't here to ask and nag you if you have completed your homework, it is up to you to complete all work by due dates. Do this and you will succeed!

3

After reading a few others posts, I realized they had a point. Perhaps hybrid classes are NOT for everyone. They made a valid argument saying that not everyone knows how to use a computer properly. Of course you think to yourself, well its 2009 everyone should. While that may be true, not everyone knows how to work Word, or to just simply navigate around the internet. Personally I do not find it all that hard to work a computer. Which makes it easy for me to do a lot of the assignments you assign us. However that may be because you try to make it as easy as possible for us to turn things in. I think the key to being successful in a Hybrid or an online class is just like anyother class, you must be hardworking, diligent and conscientious about completing the course work. Write things down, it helps a whole lot. Be nice to the teacher, and above all DO YOUR WORK! =]

POST #2

After writing Essay Three on education through technology, I composed a lot of research on why online classes are very efficient in today's society. Everywhere from balancing a job and school, lower costs, and simply just not sitting through a boring lecture are objectives why online classes are feasible to many students. From my own experience, I find it a lot easier balancing my job with two online classes. I don't find enough time to go to a classroom everyday. Completing the work on my own and planning it out is much more practical. Going along with that, everything happens at the speed of thought, we sometimes have a hard time coping with the demands of our rapid and active lifestyle. Education through technology is definitely the preference of the student, but more and more people are participating in it because of the practical methods it provides.

http://www.k12.com/press__policy/fast_facts_about_online_learning
http://ezinearticles.com/?Speed-Reading-Course---Facts-You-Should-Know-About-Online-Courses&id=1783928

Post #2

I have not yet done any in depth research, but I did decide to ask a couple of my friends what they thought about online and hybrid writing classes. One of my friends had never had an online writing class so I showed him the kind of work we did and our assignments. He explained to me that he really liked how all the deadlines were right there in front of you because he always had a hard time remembering when stuff was due. He said that the hybrid class looked much more intreging and would help him concentrate a lot better since he could do everything by himself. I have to agree with him, in our hybrid class the links are there for us to see and since I'm such a visual person it really helps me to see the assignment and re-read it if I need to.

Another one of my friends had a complete online writing class for composition one. She said that she personally felt is to be a little more difficult because if she didn't understand the assignment it wasn't like she could go to the teacher the next day. I think this is also true. Some writing assignments are difficult to comprehend so asking the teacher to explain more might just mess you up even more. That's why I really enjoy the hybrid classes because you are able to ask the questions you need but then again you are still on your own.

Post 2

After doing research on how to be successful in online and hybrid classes I confirmed my statement that these classes are not for everyone. Probably the most important thing to keep in mind with online classes is that you need to be familiar with computers. According to an online article there are many factors that determine how well you will do in an online class. Some things you can do to benefit your success are, use a planner, set a specific time to do assignments and I designated quiet area, print out a class syllabus, and make sure to email your teacher with any questions. If you want to read more about these steps to take to succeed you can find the information at http://www.linkroll.com/online-distance-learning/how-to-be-successful-with-online-learning-classes.php. Another helpful website I found was http://www.ehow.com/how_4793443_successful-online-classes.html. This site gives four very helpful tips for doing well in online classes. The first step states that you must discipline yourself, unlike traditional classes you do not get to meet your professor face to face, so there is no body telling you once or twice a week to do your assignments. You must motivate yourself to stay on top of things. The other steps suggest taking advantage of contact information from your teacher, pace yourself, remember that online classes are different from regular ones and you might need to do your own research to understand material.

Post 2

In the last post one of the skills I stressed most was organization. To be successful in a hybrid class it is extremely important to be oragnized with all of your assignments, due dates, and class meetings (which are limited). In this post I have listed several ways to improve your organization. I also attached a link to a video that shows a couple more tips.

1. Organize your space...
Where you work is important to your success in a class. If you have a messy work space you probably wont be able to complete assignments on time. You will either lose them or they will fall to the bottom of a pile of other assignments. Keep the area where you work free of clutter. Also, keep a calendar of important events/ tasks in plain view in your improved workspace.

2. Order assignments...
Keep your assignments as orderly as possible. When your assignments are arranged in a list or stack make sure its chronologically! It is easy to slip up in a class that requires independent participation so allow yourself to stay on schedule. The many different due dates demands you to stay on top of your game.

3. Keep a calendar...
The new calendar that is a result of the first two steps is critical for higher achievement. Before I had a calendar I was not able to keep track of everything I had to do. Because your hybrid class is not the only thing in your life you have to keep track of, be prepared to fill up a large calendar with things to do.


Here is a link to a video that will help you improve your organization.
Calendar Help Video

Post 2

Once again I just have to reiterate the fact that there needs to be more hybrid classes! I think that these are great, becuase you can accomplish alot in one class a week and it helps the teacher get to know the students a little bit more. Being able to do work outside of class is amazing because you can do it whenever is best for you and usually you wont have to worry about it being due in 15 minutes.

Hybrid and online classes are both becoming very popular choices for students, because they offer the opportunity for students to earn college credit while spending either none or some time in the classroom. For those who feel that they can be independent and responsible for always being up to date on assignments as well as studying then this route is the perfect choice. Some people also see this as an opportunity to have more time to work, because negative financial circumstances seem to plague college students. A majority of personal friends and peers agree that the hybrid course is the perfect blend between class and independent learning, and feel that lectures are exaggerated in length and material, while online classes offer too little structure and guidance. One key fact of information pertaining to online classes in particular though, is that studies have shown that online class students tend to have a lower grade in classes opposed to those taking the traditional format of the equivalent class.

Post Two

Just from asking all of my friends if they prefer taken a normal class appose to a hybrid class, most of them chose the hybrid class. I feel that most college students would prefer this in most cases. I also think that with a hybrid class, students will not skip class as much. I know for this class I haven’t missed one class. When you only have class one day a week, I feel that it is mandatory to go. When you do go to that class one day a week, your teacher keeps you up to date and tells you about any upcoming assignments. This is also the best time to ask questions and get one-on-one help. When students have a few classes every day, they tend to miss a few classes here and there, especially when attendance is not taken. So for most students a hybrid class is better. You only have class one day a week, and the rest of the work you can do on your own schedule.

Post 2

While conducting some research on how to be successful in an online course, I found at an Illinois online network that enables students to take online courses (http://www.ion.uillinois.edu/resources/tutorials/pedagogy/StudentProfile.asp), that the best way to be successful is to be open minded with sharing life experiences and learning styles, and to be capable of communicating with others through writing. Also in the research, I highly agreed with that you have to be a self motivated person and be willing to speak up if a problem arised.

post 2

A hybrid class is a blended version of traditional learning and online/virtual learning. With this type of course, students only have to go to class one day a week or whatever days the professor schedules class and they get the same teacher-student interactions as a regular course would. The only difference is that they are expected to do almost all of their work online using a specific program. During the days spent in the classroom, professors usually make sure the students know what is due in the next week, explains new assignments in great detail and does a short lesson. Benefits of hybrid classes include: convience, time-management, improved computer skills, accessible anytime, confidence with online disscussions, ect. Hybrid classes teach students how to become independent and self motivated... and those are two qualities students are not likely to get in the classroom.

Below is an awesome website the explains what a hybrid course is, what you should expect, the advantages/benefits, and why a hybrid class is more effective. (it is also where I got my information for this post)
http://www.worldwidelearn.com/education-articles/hybrid-education.html

Post 2

Throughout taking an online class I have learned to really self efficient. I have had to make sure that I have been on track and everything was turned in on time. It is hard to work and then have classes on top of that, but even harder to stay on top of an online class that you can always push things off with. One of the helpful tricks when in a online classes is to communicate with the teacher often and make sure that you are on track and not falling behind in anything. Also if the teacher does meet in class once a week then it is beneficial for you to go to it just to make sure that you are understanding all of the assignments.

Post 2

Another thing that is needed to be succesful in a hybrid class is actually attending the part that is not online. When someone does not attend class they miss crucial information that may be hard to find since there is only one class a week. When I was in the Composition I hybrid class I missed class one week and was completely lost that week. Class is only about and hour long and it really reinforces the readings assigned and explain in detail the up comining assignments. If you did not read at all then it is very highly recommended to go to the weekly class because the readings are gone over in detail. So in conclusion, go to class!

Post 2

When I first started college I had a hard time remembering all my due dates. Luckily I never did miss one. But I learned that it helps to write it down. Either put it somewhere your sure to see it, like over your desk. Or my roommate bought one of those huge calenders and she fills it in with here due dates and what not. It really works for her. I'm more of a post it note person. The wall behind my desk is jam packed. But it helps keep me up to date. Which is a big thing in college.