Untethering Education: Creating a Pilot Hybrid Class to Enhance Learning in Intercultural Communication

Abstract

Improvements in educational technology in the past couple of decades have led institutions of higher learning to encourage and implement various types of distance education courses. This article reports on the conversion process of a face-to-face Intercultural Communication class at a mid-Atlantic university in the USA. First, the impetus for its creation is described, followed by the process of creating this course. Then a description of the course is presented, followed by the assessment design and results comparing the hybrid course to its face-to-face version offered in the past in terms of cognitive, behavioural, and attitudinal measures. The assessment results show that students enrolled in the hybrid course performed as well or better on knowledge questions. Students in the hybrid course outperformed face-to-face students in terms of attendance, but performed similarly for other behavioral measures. Overall, students in the hybrid course had positive attitudes toward the course.