Faculty Conceptions and Misconceptions of Hybrid Education Courses Helen C. Wittmann, Ed.D. Elsa-Sofia Morote, Ed.D. Thomas Kelly, Ph.D.

Conceptual Rationale Institutions play a key role in the adoption of hybrid education. Faculty are the facilitators who develop and implement hybrid courses. If administrators want to adopt this form of education then investigating what motivates or challenges faculty would prove to be an invaluable tool.

Institutional Change Rogers (2003) Diffusion of Innovations Fullan (2002) Leading in a Culture of Change Boleman & Deal (1997) Reframing Organizations Conceptual Change Alparslan, Tekkaya, & Geban (2003) Posner, Strike, Hewson, & Gertzog (1982) Hybrid Studies Arabasz, P., Parani, J., & Fawcett, D. (2003) Aycock, A., Garnham, C., & Kaleta, R. (2002) Graham, C.R., Allen, S., & Ure, D. (2005) Major Theorists

Purpose of the Study The purpose of this study was to identify factors that influence the adoption of hybrid courses by faculty at private institutions of higher education in New York.

Early Adopters 13.5% Early Majority 34% Late Majority 34% Laggards 16% 2.5% Innovators  - 2sd  -sd   +sd Rogers, 2003 (p.281) Adopter Categorization on the Basis of Innovativeness

Statement of Problem There are known factors (1) Technology,Technology (2) Pedagogy,Pedagogy (3) Faculty-Centered Issues, andFaculty-Centered Issues (4) Institutional Policy that contribute to faculty adoption of online distance education.Institutional Policy Conceptions/misconceptions

Technology Reliability of Technology Technical Support Hardware/Software Availability Connectivity issues/problems Course Development Network Security Pace of Technology Change Privacy Rights

Pedagogy Nature of Course Content Course Objectives Methods of Evaluation and Assessment Depersonalization of Instruction

Faculty-Centered Issues Control of Curriculum Level of Administrative Support Institutional Reward System Annual Performance Review Promotion and Tenure

Institutional Policy My institution provides technical support for computer equipment used in a hybrid course My institution provides adequate training to faculty Information about hybrid learning Technology

What are the conceptions or misconceptions of faculty members in reference to hybrid courses? Conceptual Questions

Major Findings

Conceptions CorrectIncorrect No Basis for Knowing Hybrid teaching is not appropriate for all courses. 81.1%11.9%7.2% Adequate technical support systems are a major concern to faculty delivering hybrid courses. 78.6%7.1%14.3% Problems with equipment are a major concern to faculty delivering hybrid courses. 63.0%18.9%18.1% Faculty time commitment is greater for hybrid learning preparation, delivery, and revision. 60.6%18.1%21.3%

CorrectIncorrect No Basis for Knowing Content is better in the hybrid course. 11.2%64.8%24% Students need access to a home computer with Internet access. 21.8%71.8%6.5% Cheating in a hybrid course is a common threat to the quality of hybrid courses. 30.6%37.1%32.3% Students Taught with hybrid learning perform at least as well or better than those taught in a traditional face-to-face classroom. 31.6%15.1%53.3% Misconceptions/ No Basis for Knowing

The data revealed an interesting distinction, on 8 of the 13 questions, over 50 percent of the faculty responded with either misconceptions or No Basis for Knowing.

Is there a relationship among conceptions, misconceptions, score and (1) Technology, (2) Pedagogy, (3) Faculty-Centered Issues and (4) Institutional Policy? Statistical Analysis

A “score” was created by utilizing points for each response of a faculty member, 1 = Correct, 0 = Incorrect, and 0.5 = No basis for knowing.

Pearson product-Moment correlation for: Score, Misconceptions and Conceptions ScoreMisconceptionsConceptions Technology Factors r.29* * Pedagogy Factors r.13.19*.16 Faculty-Centered Issues r.21*.13.22* Institutional Policy r.27*.15.21* Taught utilizing Hybrid Learning r *.28* *. The mean difference is significant

Can the level of conceptions, misconceptions or score be predicted using (1)Technology, (2) Pedagogy, (3) Faculty-Centered Issues and (4) Institutional Policy of faculty with previous experience utilizing hybrid learning?

Multiple Linear Regression Analysis for Conceptions of faculty with previous experience utilizing hybrid learning Standardized Coefficients ModelBetap 3(Constant).00* Technology Factors Experience Teaching Hybrid * Pedagogy Factors.22.05* a. Predictors: (Constant), Conceptions

Please note that “Technology” has a p = The prediction model for Conception: = (Technology) – 1.8 (Experience Teaching) (Pedagogy) The negative number of experience means that faculty members who have experience teaching hybrid tend to have better conceptions than those who have not.

Multiple Linear Regression Analysis for Misconceptions of faculty with previous experience utilizing hybrid learning Standardized Coefficients Model Betap 1 (Constant).00 Experience Teaching Hybrid.30.00* a. Predictors: (Constant), Misconceptions

Conclusions Identify faculty innovators and employ their skills as opinion leaders. Understand the role of technology and its role in the future of higher education..

Communicate more effectively with faculty in reference to hybrid courses. Offer faculty professional development to ease some of the anxiety and uncertainty caused by the use of technology to deliver education. Develop Institutional Policies that clearly identify and promote hybrid education. Conclusions

Open a dialogue with faculty to better define hybrid education. Understand it will take time for institutions of higher education to change the way instruction is being delivered Conclusions

Recommendations Conduct thorough study of the diffusion of hybrid education in institutions of higher education. Conduct periodic investigations of how technology is being perceived by faculty and administrators at institutions of higher education.

Conduct qualitative studies focusing on faculty conceptions and misconceptions of hybrid courses offered at institutions of higher education. Conduct periodic investigations of administrative conceptions, and misconceptions of hybrid courses offered at institutions of higher education. Recommendations

Conduct periodic studies of student conceptions, and misconceptions of hybrid courses offered at institutions of higher education. Both state and federal guidelines need to be researched in order for a clearer understanding of actual seat time vs. online time and credit hours earned. Recommendations

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