Research Project 002

Hypatia Dejavyu of the Info Island Archipelago talks about library reference questions in Second Life on the opening day of ASIST (American Society for Information Science and Technology) Island, October 27, 2008.

Why So Little Hype About Hybrid Classrooms?: Reflections on Connect Composition Plus in the College Composition Classroom

At the beginning of the twenty-first century we see technology and education merging. Some critics warn that the push for online education becomes now a central concern of education since the learner outcomes often do not measure up to achievements in the classroom. Nevertheless, while on the one hand, online education offers litter the internet and online degrees gradually become accepted educational programs in the mainstream, on the other hand, many students are not much exposed to technology in the classroom or at home due to social status or traditional world views of teachers and adults around them. But the world develops steadily to create a major digital network that connects people and economies in ways unforeseen. At this junction hybrid classrooms provide an opportunity for all students to learn to communicate in this virtual environment. Hybrid course refers to classes that are composed of a carefully balanced blend of both traditional instruction and online learning activities. This balance allows for a more meaningful connection of students to the instructor as well as amongst themselves and enriches the classroom by enabling every student to learn and collaborate.

Initially, "E-Learning" products and classroom instruction including computers and internet access set out to meet this challenge but most pedagogies and technological innovations have fallen short. In the past, software products did very little to engage students in the learning process by demanding only individual mechanical responses. So-called e-books only presented the print content on a digital screen and did not allow for much interaction on the page. Furthermore, several studies have shown that students prefer the print book to the e-copy if available. Without a doubt, the new "E-learning 3.0" is gradually playing a more prominent role in how we acquire and process information. In the future, the learning process as such will not just be limited to learning at school or in college with print media; instead, learning transforms into an activity that accompanies people during their day-to-day routines both consciously and unconsciously. In a world of computer networks and instant wireless connectivity students need to learn to actively participate in the democratic processes of exchanging ideas, collaborating on projects, and developing solutions to problems facing us locally and globally. With all the gadgets and technological innovations this lifelong learning morphs into a digital lifestyle which threatens to render one-on-one human interaction obsolete. And here innovative "E-Learning" applications play an increasingly important role: to help those students with limited computer skills to catch up while allowing simultaneously all students to communicate with each other in a collaborative learning environment that demonstrates how we can use technology to supplement our communication as citizens of the world.
According to WPA guidelines, one of the outcomes of the First Year Writing program is for students to develop into active communicants across campus and in every day life situations. First year students in the composition classroom need to learn to master communication skills in both print and in digital media that empower them to be prepared in both areas. In my paper I will examine student interaction and communication in the classroom of the FYE program at the University of Alabama. Especially, the research will focus on how the newly developed software application Connect Composition Plus enhances and complements the hybrid classroom greatly by providing a virtual platform to collaborate and interact within the group while allowing individual students to customize their online contents and providing feedback to student comments on their writing drafts and learning progress. Developed by McGraw-Hill, the writing handbook and peer-review software application proved in preliminary class-testing to be an interactive and search-able product that fosters the forming of learner relationships. Within learning groups students plan their own revision schedules for drafting their papers and communicate about the progress of their drafts. During the fall semester, I will class test the software in three sections of freshman writing. Besides personal observations and notes on the usability of CC+, student feedback solicited through an anonymous survey on our hybrid classroom activities will help to determine how the new software application actually complements our in class discussions and assists students in navigating the increasingly digital world around us.