Blended Learning Environment: Benefits of Team Teaching

Blended Learning Environment Definition: “A symbiotic relationship…between instructor-led training and technologically based training” (Dutsch 2006: 213). Benefits: Caters to a variety of learning styles (Dutsch 2006) Provides more opportunities for the application of classroom-acquired knowledge (Cottle and Glover 2011) Leads to higher knowledge retention (Cottle and Glover 2011) Challenges: online environment can decrease the amount of interaction (Dutsch 2006: 214) students may be less active in the online portion of the class

Blended Classroom with One Instructor (Data from 3 semesters, the same curriculum) Decline in online discussion participation from over 100 % to about 30 % The highest rate of participation observed in the Introduction discussion The lowest rate of participation observed in the Patch- writing discussion During the semester with the best participation rate, the highest percentage of participation (outside Introduction) was 90 %

Blended Class With Two Instructors (Data from 1 semester, the same curriculum as for single instructor) All discussions over 100 % The highest rate of participation observed in the Introduction (376 %) The lowest rate in Best Presentation (76 %) The highest rate of participation (outside Introduction) 252 %

Blended Class with One Instructor (B1) and a Team-Taught Blended Class (B2) (the same curriculum and the same discussion prompts were used; the same enrollment) Class Type/ Discussion Name B1B2 Introduction252 %376 % Best Presentation70.5 %76 % Reader Analysis88 %147 % Writing Styles47 %252 % Patch-writing11 %158 %

Differences in Participation Grades This data reflects two different sets of curriculum. The B1 data is derived from a single-instructor blended course, and the B2 data is derived from two different team taught courses. SemesterOverall participation grade B % B % B2 (ongoing) 83.6 %

Differences in Overall Grades Semester Overall Grade B % B % B2 (ongoing) %

Differences in Canvas Correspondences In calculating the number of s exchanged between the online instructor as a solo instructor and as a team-taught one, we also saw a noticeable difference. *On target to be about 21 messages per student at current rate SemesterOverall Correspondence B1168 (average of 15 per student) B2319 (average of 19 per student) B2 (ongoing)259 (average of 12 per student)*

Why the Difference? Emotional engagement with both instructors The need to establish a connection in class as well as online

Student Responses (Data from written questionnaires; two classes) Data from Fall 14 and Spring responses each semester Prompts used: Did the format of the class (blended with two instructors) worked for you? Please tell use what worked and what didn’t. In a short paragraph, describe your experience of working with two instructors in our blended class. In your opinion, is having two professors—one online and one face-to-face—a successful arrangement? Why or why not?

Benefits Identified by the Students Emotional attachment with both instructors (“getting to know two people,” “I don’t feel like I can only talk to the in-class teacher,” etc.)

Benefits Identified by the Students Availability of help (“help is more available,” “I could get immediate answers,” etc.)

Benefits Identified by the Students Two points of view (“more viewpoints,” “opinions from two teachers,” etc.)