This document summarizes a hybrid course taught using the Desire2Learn learning environment. The hybrid format combines in-person and online instruction to provide the benefits of both while addressing constraints. The course included weekly online units with video lectures, discussions, readings and quizzes. Three professors collaborated over a year to develop the content and structure the course within Desire2Learn. They learned that content needs to be flexible, provide multiple viewing options, and be designed for small screens. Desire2Learn enforced progression and allowed monitoring of student progress through the online portions of the hybrid course.

1. Teaching a Hybrid Course
with Desire2Learn
Learning Environment
Philip A. Thompsen, Ph.D.
Department of Communication Studies
West Chester University of Pennsylvania

2. Preview
Why hybrid?
What we did
How we did it
What we’ve learned

3. Why hybrid?

4. Why hybrid?
✓ The best of both worlds: combining
substantial online learning with
traditional classroom instruction
✓ Allows faculty to “test the waters”
of online instruction without giving up
in-person student interaction
✓ Helps address enrollment increases
within classroom space constraints

5. ✓ Last year, we began
developing course
What we did content and adding
it to a Desire2Learn
√
course website
✓ This past spring, we
offered two sections
of our intercultural
communication
course in the hybrid
format, with class
once a week and
weekly online units.

6. Three professors worked together
over the past year on this project:
Anita Foeman, Ph.D. was lecturer and
instructional supervisor.
Bessie Lawton, Ph.D. was lecturer and
assessment coordinator.
Philip A. Thompsen, Ph.D. was instructional
designer and technology coordinator.

7. The weekly online units centered around a
sequence of video lectures, quizzes,
online discussions, readings, surveys and
other learning activities deployed in the
Desire2Learn Learning Environment.

8. How we did it

9. How we did it
Keynote
Presentation software

10. How we did it
Camtasia
Screencasting software

11. How we did it
Podcast Producer 2
Media encoding and hosting

12. How we did it
Flowplayer
Open source Flash player

13. How we did it
Desire 2 Learn
Learning Management System

14. D2L Learning Environment

15. D2L Learning Environment
Video lectures,
online activities, Weekly
readings Online online Course
discussion quizzes feedback
forums surveys
Online
paper
submission

17. Each online unit
had multiple parts
that were “linked”
together with D2L
restrictions, so
they had to be
completed in
sequential order.

18. What we’ve learned
• Create content that’s flexible and reusable.
• Provide alternative video players.
• Design for small screens.
• Short videos are best.
• Be sensitive to audio when
recording and editing videos.
• Use D2L to enforce a disciplined
approach and to monitor progress.
• Take advantage of the hybrid format
to “flip” the traditional classroom.

19. Questions? Comments?
Philip A. Thompsen, Ph.D.
email: pthompsen@wcupa.edu
web: communication.wcupa.edu
blog: drthompsen.com
twitter: pthompsen