Over the past few years, blended learning models have gained popularity at all levels of education. As faculty interest in transitioning courses to a blended delivery model increases, faculty development and instructional design are becoming more important. Quality blended course design requires an understanding of true blended learning and proper support before the course even begins. This presentation will offer proven best practices and suggestions for both instructors and instructional designers looking to develop engaging blended courses.

Common misconceptions based on real blended course design experiences will be discussed throughout the presentation. For instance, designing a blended course requires more than just assigning work outside of class. The time and effort needed to develop a high quality blended course far exceeds that required for a face-to-face course. And while a typical residence course can be built week-to-week, giving the instructor the flexibility to change content, an effective blended course requires looking at the course from a macro perspective long before the course begins.

Using an actual Penn State course that exists in both face-to-face and fully online versions as an example, we will collectively examine the design process for transforming either version of the course into a new blended learning experience for students. Blended course design should strike a balance amongst online and face-to-face content by structuring both in an engaging manner. Moving beyond the approach of posting video lectures online, we will suggest innovative instructional strategies and techniques that engage the learner in both synchronous and asynchronous environments.

Attendees will come away with a better understanding of blended learning principles and a heightened awareness of potential misconceptions relating to the design process. By walking through the various design transitions, attendees will get a glimpse of the blended course design process and mindset.