201O 2nd International Conforence on Education Technology and Computer (ICETC)
Blended/Hybrid Course Design in Active Learning Cloud
at South Dakota State University
ZhongHu
Mechanical Engineering Department
South Dakota State University
Brookings, South Dakota 57007, USA
e-mail: Zhong.Hu@sdstate.edu
Abstract- Learning effectiveness is always the central activity
in higher education. Teaching delivery modes from face-to-face
to online and to blended/hybrid phases reflect the progress and
evolution of research and practices in teaching pedagogies.
Course design for blended/hybrid learning including redesign
of learning contents, student engagement, and
assessment are discussed in the paper. South Dakota State
University is developing an Active Learning Cloud Program, a
teaching-learning networked system, which
blended/hybrid course redesign possible and effective. A case
study of a mechanical engineering course redesign is presented
and discussed. Learning effectiveness is compared with its
traditional and online course delivery. It indicates
blended/hybrid learning provides a better ideology for the
choice of teaching learning methods with varieties of e-Iearning
tools in online and in-class dual learning environment.
Keywords-active learning; cloud; e-learning; blended; hybrid;
online; face-to-face; traditional; teaching pedagogy
I. INTRODUCTION
Societal and economic needs have always been closely
linked to educational changes. From ink to multimedia, from
correspondence to internet-delivered, each of these has
brought new design of instruction and delivery. However, all
have been developed mainly as a result of student life
changes and pressures within a changing society. The
Internet, of course, has maximized learning flexibility and
increased the potential for instructional design changes as
well as delivery changes like no other technology before.
Often, however, Internet-delivered and mediated courses
could be negative learning experience for students. Therefore,
the effect of the technology on the learning process
encourages more instructors to experiment with the
technology to augment existing conventional face-to-face
(f2t) courses. This opens students a more blended learning
experience partly online using Internet tools and partly f2f in
more conventional settings. This results in an increasing
numbers of conventional courses being supported,
augmented, and expanded through the use of online tools,
and, in fact, blendedlhybrid delivery is becoming the norm in
course delivery[l].
The authors have been closely involved with e-learning
for the past decade starting with website enhanced course
information posting. There was no surprise from the early
stage that the majority of the instructors tended to think of e-
978-1-4244-6370-11$26.00 © 2010 IEEE
Shouhong Zhang
Instructional Design Services
South Dakota State University
Brookings, South Dakota 57007, USA
e-mail: Shouhong.Zhang@sdstate.edu
learning as something distinct from f2f learning, arguing that
teaching be from working from a completely different
paradigm when it came to e-learning environment. What
instructors might not think about a great deal in those early
years was the idea of blendedlhybrid learning, a phrase that
learning
is showing up in the literature and on campus more often
recently. It is a realization that the boundary between f2f and
online is not necessary. Why not take the best of both worlds,
makes
blending them to create the best possible learning experience?
This is likely the future of e-learning in many schools and
institutions.
that
II. DEFINITIONS OF BLENDED/HYBRID LEARNING
There are many different defmitions regarding blended
learning based on where it is applied to. According to the
defmition from Wikipedia [2], Blended Learning is a
blending of different learning methods, techniques and
resources and applying them in an interactively meaningful
learning environment....... This approach will combine face-
to-face instruction with computer-mediated
instruction. ...... Learners and teachers work together to
improve the quality of learning and teaching, the ultimate
aim of blended learning being to provide realistic practical
opportunities for learners and teachers to make learning
independent, useful, sustainable and ever growing.
One of the commonly acceptable and simple defmition of
blended learning by Sloan-C states: courses that integrate
online with traditional face-to-face class activities in a
planned, pedagogically valuable manner; and where a
portion (institutionally defined) of face-to-face time is
replaced by online activity [3]. Another defmition states:
Blended learning is the thoughtful fusion of face-to-face and
online learning experience. The basic principle is that the
face-to-face oral communication and online written
communication are optimally integrated such that the
strengths of each are blended into a unique learning
experience congruent with the context and intended
educational purpose [4].
According to these definitions, there are numerous
possible components and methods that can be used to make a
blend.
On the other hand, hybrid courses combine face-to-face
classroom instruction with electronic online devices. A
significant amount of learning in a hybrid course occurs
online. As a result, a hybrid course reduces the amount of
VI-63
 2010 2nd International Conference on Education Technology and Computer (ICETC)
classroom seat time [2]. The proportion and timing of online
vs. face-to-face time can be varied significantly, based on the
goals and work requirements of the program [5]. This model
is also referred to as blended learning. However, the term
hybrid is not used as often as blended. In this paper, both are
treated as the same learning mode.
Blendedlhybrid learning is not new. What is new is the
recognition of its potential to help fundamentally redesign
the learning experience in ways that can enhance the
traditional values of higher education [4]. Teaching a
blendedlhybrid course can be challenging, since it requires
acquiring different teaching skills and technologies.
Redesigning a course takes new teaching and learning
opportunities, managing the course content both online and
in-class, and preparing students to work in a hybrid format
into account.
III. ACTIVE-LEARNING CLOUD ON SDSU CAMPUS
South Dakota State University is in the process of
implementing Active Learning (AL) Cloud for creating the
21st century campus utilizing existing and emerging cloud
computing resources [6]. Developing and adapting
curriculums to harness Generation Y's (individuals born
between 1979 and 1995) potential is one of the primary
challenges facing universities today. "This group has come
of age in a 2417, 'on demand' personalized environment. We
now witness higher education institutions offering a more
personalized education using Web 2.0 technologies."[7]
Generation Y is considered to be "free agent learners," who
are self-directed learners, untethered to traditional education
or physical networks, and value experiential learning [8].
Adapting to meet the educational needs of these students
must be a priority, to be a cutting edge, 21s1 century campus
[6]. To achieve these learning outcomes universities must
implement, across all disciplines, pedagogical practices that
involve interactive, inquiry- or problem-based, technology­
enriched, teaching and learning [9]. The applications of these
pedagogical practices are anticipated to be accomplished
through AL Cloud Program as well as students' technology
skills development in their discipline and global awareness
and digital citizenship.
The AL Cloud Program is "the networked systems that
distribute processing power, applications, and large systems
among many devices within a defmed geography such as
university campuses. The presence of the AL Cloud enables
anyone within the geography to connect to the system. To
users the AL Cloud is invisible. The technology of which the
AL Cloud is comprised and that supports applications is
immaterial - the anytime-anyplace of applications within the
AL Cloud is the key" [10]. Importantly, the AL Cloud allows
for the "democratization of access to computing power" [11].
This, when combined with the ease of access provided by
diverse mobile devices, allows for a truly dynamic, cutting
edge information technology environment - one which
enables active learning to create 21sl century learners.
The goals of the AL Cloud include [6]:
• Establish student-centered, faculty-engaged active
learning environments based on curricula uniqueness.
• Empower faculty through in-service programs which
Vl-64
provide the insight, tools and savvy to adopt cutting edge
discipline specific pedagogies.
• Secure a sustainable resource base to implement and
maintain the plan.
• Demonstrate accountability and evaluate plan
outcomes.
The plan implementation includes the following five
steps [6]:
(1) Create the AL Cloud: In sununer of 2009, the AL
Cloud has been deployed across the campus in every
classroom space, teaching lab, and student commons area.
At the same time twenty classrooms will be updated with
the latest technology and thereafter on a four year cycle
until all are updated. Five active learning classrooms and
two active learning team rooms will also be added. With
the establishment of the AL Cloud, it will be necessary to
increase the connectivity to the large Internet Cloud by
adding bandwidth.
(2) Establish active learning environments: Six
disciplines currently embrace a technology supported
active learning environment, and all other disciplines will
enact AL pedagogy enabled and empowered by the AL
Cloud, with all programs participating in the AL Cloud
by fall 2012.
(3) Empowering faculty through In-service programs: AL
faculty exploration sessions are conducted in the spring
with the group who teach in the fall of that year. Faculty
Exploration Sessions include Cloud Access Devices
(Laptop, Netbooks, IPods, ITouch, Videoconferencing),
Cloud Software (Turning Point, Microsoft Labs), Cloud
Simulations (Second Life, Subject Matter simulations),
Cloud Computers (Aargon Labs, Oakridge Labs), and
Cloud Services (Podcasting, Social Networks, Blogs,
Robotic sites), etc. Faculty Development Workshops
include Teaching & Learning Cloud, Hybrid Course
Design, Blended Course Design; Teaching with D2L,
Communication with Students in D2L, Learning Modules
in D2L, Designing Assessment using Respondus, D2L
Online Grades, QuestionPro, Designing and Delivering
Online Surveys, Engaging Students Using Clickers,
Online Conferencing Using Elluminate, Streaming
PowerPoint by Using Impatica, How to Reach Students
Using iTunes University, Capturing Contents for Online
Delivery, Do You Need a Second Life? Accessing Files
in the Cloud, Creating Videos for Teaching, Multimedia
Gadgets for Instruction, Using Mobile Devices for
Instruction, Preparing Students for the Digital Age, Using
Audio for Instruction, Developing Assessment Rubrics,
Online Collaboration Using Live@edu (Life 2.0), The
Tower and the Cloud - Higher Education in the Age of
Cloud Computing, Designing Webpages for a Virtual
Community, The World is Open: Now, WE ALL
LEARN with Web Technology, Special Topics: User
Discussion, and Implementation of AL Pedagogy, etc.
(4) Secure fmancial resources: To implement the plan,
three pools of resources are using. First, SDSU is
realigning existing teaching faculty funds, student lab
funds, and staff resources. SDSU teaching faculty funds
are used to purchase digital devices (laptops, IPods, Net-
 20i 0 2nd international Conference on Education Technology and Computer (ICETC)
books) and cloud services (SecondLife, Turning Point
Student Response System and economics simulation
software). Student lab funds are used to provide check
out digital devices and maintain limited computer labs.
Existing staff along with redirection of SDSU student
Tech Fellow (STF) funds provide the needed staff to
support the plan. Second, BOR stipends are requested to
support faculty development programs. Third, to fund the
infrastructure to create the AL Cloud a student fee pre
credit is required. This fee will support wireless access in
classrooms, instructional labs, and common spaces;
security; network upgrades; bandwidth expansion; and
classroom upgrades.
(5) Demonstrate accountability and evaluate plan
outcomes: Plan accountability and evaluation is being
managed by the Office of Academic Affairs and
supported by the Offices of Information Technology and
Academic Evaluation and Assessment. Two components
are evaluated on an annual basis: 1) adherence to
plan/progress to date and, 2) assessment of stated
outcomes.
IV. REDESIGN CASE STUDY
College of Engineering is one of colleges benefiting from
SDSU AL Cloud Program. Mechanical Engineering at South
Dakota State University is one of the largest undergraduate
programs on campus with around 320 undergraduate
students enrolled in 2009. In 2008 the college deans
calculated how many students in their programs could
support if they were filled to maximum capacity which is
called Comfort Enrollment, based on faculty and teaching
space. The Comfort Enrollment of Mechanical Engineering
Program is 240, which is 80 students over the program
comfort capacity. In order to improve the situation and
effectively use the AL Cloud resource, one of the strategies
is to develop blendedlhybrid course learning and delivery.
Although the concept of blended learning may be
intuitively apparent and simple, the practical application is
more complex. Engineering Materials course is a uniquely
diverse field with classes ranging from the fundamentals of
chemistry and physics of materials, to electives focused on
specific material classes, and to applied materials. When
teaching an introductory course like this, instructors usually
face these challenges:
• The topics, terminology, and even the way of
thinking are new to most entry level students.
• A standard science/engineering approach
emphasizing formulae and numerical calculations can
leave introductory-level students without a grasp of the
basic principles of structure/property/ processing
relationships that are at the core of the subject.
• An understanding of many of the topics requires the
visualizations of three-dimensional moving images or
evolving processes that cannot be presented effectively
using static illustrations.
• Students, particularly non-materials science and
engineering majors, fmd a traditional lecture series that
builds from electrons to atoms to crystals, etc., difficult
VI-65
to absorb.
• Students typically exit a lecture without real
comprehension of what was presented, because they
were not able to pass the information from working
memory to long-term memory at a rate commensurate
with the delivery rate.
To address the above issues, the Mechanical
Engineering Department at South Dakota State University
has been developing a blendedlhybrid course through
Desire2Learn (D2L) online course delivery system in AL
Cloud for introductory materials science and engineering -
ME241 Engineering Materials. It serves for freshmen/
sophomore students (mechanical engineering major) as a
comprehensive one-semester materials education course (3-
credits). This course was traditionally taught by formal f2f
lectures with some testing demos and experiments in the lab.
Blendedlhybrid course redesign is not a easy job,
instructor should start early - 3-6 months in advance -
and construct actual learning modules that meet specific
learning goals and are relatively easy to manage and grade.
The course redesign involves the following three aspects:
A. Course Contents Delivery:Multi-media Resources
The course employs multi-media resources, shown in
Figures 1-3, that can be utilized in several ways: as a
enhanced in class f2f lectures, as a replacement for
classroom lectures by online learning, as a supplement to
classroom lectures or online learning for those whose
background are not met with the course content requirements
or who is seeking additional or further information.
_ ..... ,
-
��----
¥i�';:'----���-
'::'�
Figure l. Course Homepage (left) and Instructor's personal website (right).
Figure 2. Lecture PowerPoint slides (left) and video clip & animation (right).
"L�l_. ____ _
'D
"· D �
".. 0 ....-..-.....-.
...·0 ......"-?........
··D'·_""""""of_
"'·Ol5f_I__ _
nJ. 2t_
""'·0_
... . �---
� ",0.-' ____ _
'0_
"·D�
Figure 3. Table of Contents (left) and Lecture notes in pdf forrnat (right).
The multi-media resources cover the course homepage
 20i 0 2nd international Conforence on Education Technology and Computer (ICETC)

from where students can fmd the direction towards the
details; instructor's personal website (including instructor's
teaching, research, and industrial experience and interests
which provide an opportunity for students to know the
instructor better) ; course syllabus documentation which
provide course requirements and outcomes, etc.; video clips
and animations, PowerPoint lecture slides where students
can then control the pace of delivery, including the ability to
stop and replay portions of the lecture that seem unclear at
D2L Email Box addition to the regular email for
convenience, class News Board for delivering
announcements and schedule of the class activities,
Calendar for students checking the recent activities or
tracking the events which is incorporated and consistent
with the other tools (News Board, Homework, Quizzes, etc.),
etc., office hours and f2f help sessions are also offered in a
question-and answer format, as shown in Figures 4-6.
D . .. .... __ " .. 'd_••

first; lecture notes in pdf format which include objectives, -.- --�--- .. --
- -

introduction, chapter sections terminologies and defmitions,

summary for each chapter; and web links for additional
course relevant information. All these provide diverse
!:,-=� _�r.._ .. _ ..._

opportunities for students to pursue the contents which were

"--'.;..'� ........ .
delivered from a textbook, a mono-medium, having great
i'OflI"""":�,;c; � .•,� . ....
difficulty in presenting moving or evolving processes.
.._ . ' ..

For delivering the course contents, the class meets once a Figure 4. Homework Submission (left) and Homework (right).
week for f2f lectures. The other time are assigned for online
reading, etc. The testing demos and experiments are still in
the lab. However, the relevant video clip, animations are
-

- : == :-=:=-
uploaded online, and students can refresh or review the �":;':.::=':::'-'- �---.'--- .. -.�--.-.-----. - .-.
: ==--==
--
:.=
, .-

testing or experiments before or after the lab class. .- .- .. - .-- -- - " :-:---

B. Students' Engagement
Facilitation and social presence is the challenge in an Figure 5. Discussion Forum (left) and Email communication (right).
asynchronous online context to maintain cohesion and
productivity. The facilitator must create the conditions and � - -1- _ -t--

assist students to actively contribute to the discourse, and -

ensure that participants engage productively with each other. � ;;,��- -------.------- -- --.
On the other hand, instructors report that they feel more
connected with their students and are able to get to know
them better since they communicate both online and f2f.
Hybrid environments have the potential to increase and
i� - .- _. • .-- --

extend instructor-student and student-student connectivity
and to build relationships even more than in traditional or
online courses. Discussions started in class are continued
online and online interaction often carries over into the
traditional f2f classes. Integration of out-of-class activities
with in-class activities allows more effective use of
traditional class time. Students who rarely take part in class
discussions are more likely to participate online. Therefore,
it is able to overcome the fact that "most e-Iearning is boring,
requiring greater discipline on the part of the student".
A hybrid or blended course, by defmition, reduces f2f
"seat time" so that students can pursue additional teaching
and learning activities online. So faculty believe that their
students learn more in the hybrid format than they do in
traditional class sections. Instructors report that students
write better papers, performed better on exams, produced
higher quality projects, and were capable of more
meaningful discussions on course material when reflecting
online.
In this course in order to engage students, course
redesign includes online submission of homework and
assignments by word fIles (no hand writing or scanned
image are acceptable, which stimulates students to learn
using MS Office and other scientific software), discussion
forum (in each chapter, several topics are created for
discussions on the same issues or easy fmd related answers),
Figure 6. Class News Board (left) and Calendar (right).
C. Course Assessment
How do you want students to know when they have
fmished taking your course? Course assessment is the
answer. Assessment cuts across all teaching presence
categories. It may well be the most pervasive issue in
designing a deep and meaningful learning experience.
Formative assessment is important to gain feedback
regarding the success of teaching methods and techniques.
Summative course evaluations are critical for maintaining
the credibility of the blendedlhybrid course. Moreover,
summative evaluation is important to attain the integration
and balance of f2f and online learning opportunities in a
blendedlhybrid course. In order to effectively evaluate the
project and inform efforts to improve the course in future
offerings, several ways have been adopted, such as online
quizzes (total 8 online quizzes, each has 20 multiple-choice
questions, all the questions are selected from an online
question bank developed by the instructor), in class midterm
tests (there are three midterm tests, 30 multiple-choice
questions for each test), in class f2f fmal exam (50 multiple­
choice questions), online activity statistics data (the number
of the questions the student initiated, read, or replied, etc.),
university IDEA survey - student reactions to instruction
and courses, and additional course survey designed only for

VI-66
 2010 2nd International Conference on Education Technology and Computer (ICETC)

this blendedlhybrid course, plus departmental rubric requires careful pedagogical redesign, careful redesign of
assessment, as shown in Figures 7-8. All these evaluation learning contents, learning process consideration, teaching
activities yielded information will be used to determine how methods and evaluation, especially for the engineering
students' performance and if the blendedlhybrid learning course which involves interdisciplinary knowledge and
course should continue on the department level. The technology. South Dakota State University is developing an
instructor could share what he learn with others in the AL Cloud which makes blendedlhybrid course redesign
university education conference or other higher level possible and more effective. A case study of mechanical
conference. engineering course redesign is presented and discussed. A
better learning experience was achieved. It indicates that
,-- - -_.- ... _-.'.- . .,. blendedlhybrid learning provides a better ideology for the
�----..
--- ..... ,....

-.
------- .--- .

.�����: choice of learning methods when different e-Iearning tools

, ·�§i;�·:��=·��.:. .. --··
are available for online and in-class dual environment.
, :rt§:::- ��:::.""==�·::·'" ......
..
. . _------ ... -- ... __ .-
� ... - _._-_ ..... _..- .. - ", .... , ..
ACKNOWLEDGMENT

R.B.G. special thanks to: Instructional Design Services,

AL Cloud ProjectJFaculty Development and the Office of
Figure 7. Online quizzes (left) and in-class tests (right). Academic Affairs at SDSU for the faculty training
opportunity and technical support and the possibility to
.. - . .

.. ==-.
.. -. ..,.,-,-, .a- present this hybrid course work. The special thanks also goes
.­
,-
to Ms. Hong Wang for helping the course development and
� -.- technical support. The authors would also like to thank
SDSU, the College of Engineering, the Department of
Mechanical Engineering and the colleagues for supporting
developing the hybrid course.

REFERENCES
Figure S. Students' learning activity statistics data (left) and Grades (right).
[I] R. Reynard, "Changing Designs of Online Learning: The Evolution
of Digital Learning Systems Through Customization", July 16, 200S.
Student evaluation, feedback, and modification have http://thejournal.comlarticles/200S/07/ 16/changin g-designs-of-online­
been on-going since the beginning of this project. The learning-the-evolution-of-digital-Iearning-systems-through­
survey is summarized in Table 1. customization.aspx. (accessed on October 5, 2009).

[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wikilBlended learning, (accessed on October

TABLE I. STUDENT SURVEY SUMMARY 5,2009).
Semesters [3] The Sloan Consortium, "Blended Learning: Research Perspectives",
Survey Items edited by A. G. Picciano and C. D. Dziuban, 2007, published by
Fall 2008 Spring 2009 Fall 2009
Received/Sent Out Sioan-C, USA.
26127 26/27 33/36
Surveys [4] D. R. Garrison and N. D. Vaughan, "Blended Learning in Higher
Do you have e- Education: Framework, Principles, and Guidelines", Jossey-Bass an
Yes: 8 (31%) Yes: 6 (23%) Yes: 11(33%)
learning experience No: 18 (69%) No: 20(77%) No: 22(67%) Inprint of Wiley, 200S.
in the past?
[5] http://www.edtech.neu.edu/teach/online pedagogy/hybrid course de
What was the most sign/ , (accessed on October 5, 2009).
Flexibility: 14 Flexibility: 14 Flexibility:13
helpful thing about Online resource:17 Online resource:15 Online resource:21
this delivery? [6] "The AL Cloud-Active learning on the 21st century campus" South
What was the least Less f2f class & Less f2f class & Less f2f class & Dakota State University, February 21,2009.
helpful thing about interaction:19 interaction:14 interaction:22
[7] "Generation Y is Wired Up and Ready for Action, so what is the
Others:9 Others:13 Others:II
this delivery? Problem?" http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?story
What did you like Advantages of hybrid: �dvantages of hybrid: Advantages of Code=403177&sectioncode=26. Times Higher Education, 14 August
about the way the 25 25 hybrid: 32 200S.
Others: 7 Others: 4 Others: 3
course delivered? "Speak Up: 200S Data Findings." http://www.tomorrow.org. Project
[S]
Be interested in Yes: 15 (58%) Yes: 8 (31%) Yes: 16 (48%)
Tomorrow, 2009.
taking other courses No: 3 (11%) No: 4 (15%) No: 3 (9%)

like this one? Maybe: 8 (31%) Maybe: 14 (54%) Maybe: 14 (42%) [9] "Active Learning and Technology: Designing Change for Faculty,

[Was it more difficult Yes: 14 (54%) Yes: 14 (54%) Yes: 17 (52%)

Students, and Institutions." http://net.educause.edulir/library/pdf/
No: 12 (46%) No: 12 (46%) No: 16 (48%) ERM0752.pdf. EDUCAUSE, Sept/Oct 2007.
to achieve better
grades? [10] "The Horizon Report: 2009 Edition." http://net.educause.edulir/
library/pdf/CSD5612.pdf. The New Media Consortium, 2009.
V. SUMMARY [II] Katz, Richard N., Ed. The Tower and the Cloud: Higher Education in
the Age of Cloud Computing. EDUCAUSE, 200S.
There are many advantages of blendedlhybrid learning
over the traditional t2f or complete online course delivery. [12] S. Laster, G. Otte, A.G. Picciano and S. Sorg, Redefining blended
learning, Presentation at the 2005 Sioan-C Workshop on Blended
However, to be successful, a hybrid or blended course Learning, Chicago, IL, April IS,2005.

VI-67