Online Blended Learning Formats

Now that you have started defining what could be done synchronously and asynchronously and what approaching you can use to engage students online, you may be starting to situate yourself on a blended learning continuum.

The following graphic is an overview of the different online blended learning formats that may describe your online blended approach you are envisioning for your course. The formats below are not based on research and are intended to help situate yourself on a spectrum from fully synchronous to fully asynchronous teaching:

  • Flipped Online
  • Mixed Online
  • Synchronous-Time-Reduced Online

Note: As you progress through this workshop and start making sense on an online blended learning format that meets your course needs and requirements, you may move towards a more synchronous or more asynchronous teaching. 

 

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Create a Predictable Rhythm 

Regardless of the format you choose, consider organizing your course into a predictable rhythm. This rhythm will help your students organize their time and can add predictability to your course.

To start, take a look at the  Association of Colleges and University Educators example of a course rhythm for participation Links to an external site.

Guiding Questions

  • Where would you feel most comfortable in aligning your course along the synchronous-asynchronous spectrum?
  • Which (if any) of the three formats most closely aligns with the approach you might take? Consider the many factors that might influence your thinking in making such a choice.