Blended and Asynchronous Course Effectiveness in First-Year Composition: A Case Study

Abstract

As one campus of a four-campus state system, Missouri University of Science and Technology has been searching for ways to effectively integrate online courses across the curriculum. This search originally came in the form of a directive from higher administration, on both the university and system levels. Therein lay the first difficulty for us with online instruction. Specifically, online instruction's value may be very different for university system administration than it is for each campus, each department, and each instructor. For many SCUs facing drastically reduced state funding, greater competition for student enrollment, and increased operating costs, online instruction may be viewed as something of a revenue panacea. Through online course offerings, campuses can reach farflung populations of students unable to commute for face-to-face (F2F) instruction. Online courses may carry additional fees, thus producing another potential revenue source. Lastly, physical classroom space is often at a premium in SCUs; limited resources and limited space often conflict with a need to increase enrollments. Blended delivery methods can therefore relieve scheduling difficulties during peak course hours.

Department(s)

English and Technical Communication

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

1938-0453; 1938-0461

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2016 Fort Hays State University, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Jan 2016

Link to Full Text

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