Designing an effective distance course using a synchronous hybrid e-learning approach

The usefulness of hybrid delivery in education has long been realized and with the advancement of computer and communication technologies and the introduction of Web based authoring tools, its effectiveness has been further extended. In this regard, it has affected the traditional distance learning by transforming it from a static videotape delivery to a more dynamic format by adding or substituting the web as the delivery media. Our focus in this paper is the use of hybrid elearning with virtual face-to-face for a distance course delivery. We believe that hybrid elearning in conjunction with a synchronous online delivery can minimize the negatives that are sometimes associated with more traditional, primarily asynchronous distance learning offerings. Details of this work, including design and delivery issues, student and course assessment, and required technology are included in this paper.