Hybrid/ Blended Classes

There are some hybrid/ blended classes at UWM. They seem a little different because a lot of the classes are just lectures and then online materials, but for LIS 201 we also have discussions involved. I think it's better to have discussions too, because then we get more one on one interaction and helps us learn better. The online portions did connect with the in-person portions. Every task given online referenced something we had learned in class previously either from lecture or weekly reading assignments. I felt I was a more effective student in the physical world versus the virtual world. I learn better in person than online, so physically being a class forces me to pay attention more and less distractions are surrounding me. As for learning through my computer, I could be watching Netflix, chatting someone on Facebook, and looking at my Twitter feed. I was able to learn more about my fellow students online since we had to tell a lot about ourselves. I also got to know people through their weekly blog assignments and their writings. You can tell a lot about a person through the way they write. I do feel more comfortable now with online resources because of this course. It has helped learn how to efficiently write blog posts and wikis, while also giving me more confidence about my writing. I think it is a great way to get students actively involved and participate. I think UW instructors have a good amount of online work. I don't think it should be increased nor decreased. A lot of my homework is online now and for my comm arts 200 class, we have journal entries we have to do. Some of the course lectures and readings do in fact bring a better perspective to my own online experiences and personal life. All of the material about social media and public sphere very much relate to my use of the Internet. I think online course components work differently with classes focused on online work. It corresponds more when it has to do with online material. But it also can work with material that is not.