To: Dr. Erika Paterson, ENGL 301 Professor
From: Hansol Yang, a UBC student
Date: February 14, 2022
Subject: Proposal for Improving UBC Students’ Experience in Hybrid Courses
Introduction
Over the past two decades, some universities and organizations have made efforts to deliver learning materials and lectures online for better access to higher education. Some universities offered online courses for the public, by using platforms like Coursera or MIT Open Courseware. Many universities also tried to deliver some parts of the courses online to their students, such as using Canvas to offer online materials, offering some online courses, and using Piazza for communications.
However, since 2020, due to the pandemic, most universities had to offer virtual learning for all of their courses for two years. The professors and students had to accept new ways of learning, using Zoom and online platforms. Now, many universities, including UBC, went back to their traditional way of learning, but as there are still possibilities of the threads and many students felt the convenience of online learning in some parts, some students still want hybrid courses. In this situation, it is necessary to think of the direction of future learning; the scope and way of adapting online platforms into in-person lectures.
Audience Description
The intended audiences are professors and the president of UBC. As this research can be a suggestion to improve the way of delivering lectures in more efficient and convenient ways, I hope this can be helpful for professors at UBC.
Statement of Problem
Currently, most UBC courses provide in-person lectures, while office hours and some labs are delivered online. Some courses offer hybrid methods such as live streaming and lecture recordings. The major problems in this situation are three: first, students have a variety of opinions on the modalities, but the opinions are not well-understood by the university; second, the platforms and instructions differ by the courses, but students cannot consider them while choosing courses; and finally, in such globalized and high-risk period, the courses can go back to online again.
Proposed Solution
One possible solution to the problem is providing as many ways as possible for delivering courses. For example, professors can lecture in person, while streaming the lecture simultaneously, providing all the materials on both channels. However, it might cause a large burden on professors. The burden can cause a quality degradation problem. Therefore, this study is purposed to find better solutions for both professors and students.
Scope
To improve students’ experience in hybrid courses, I plan to research five areas of inquiry:
1. What is the most preferred modality among in person, hybrid, and online?
2. What are the pros and cons of each way?
3. What are the most often used methods in hybrid courses and what are the students’ opinions on the methods?
4. What are the most preferred hybrid methods among students and what are the expected effects of the methods?
5. What are the burdens of most preferred hybrid methods, especially from the perspective of professors and UBC?
Methods
My primary data sources will include consultations with professors having lectures in UBC, ideally with at least two professors, who experienced hybrid courses. The consultations will concentrate on understanding the opinions of the professors on the hybrid courses, especially regarding the burdens of the hybrid courses. Also, an online survey of UBC students asking for opinions on the way of delivering lectures will be necessary. The online survey will focus on the preference, experiences, and effects of course modalities, especially the hybrid courses.
Secondary sources will include publications on the hybrid course designs and reviews on them, especially the publications on students’ feedback.
My Qualifications
As a UBC student, I have experienced courses in UBC, both in in-person and online ways. Therefore, I am also one of the students willing to show opinions on the problem, so it will be easier to understand students’ opinions and unmet needs. Also, as I have experience in researching customers’ needs and satisfaction, I believe I can conduct the research in accurate and efficient ways.
Conclusion
To improve students’ satisfaction and academic achievements, the debates on the desirable course modalities need more consideration, with proper research and clear analysis. By understanding the problem in 5 scopes, I would like to figure out and suggest better ways to deliver lectures for both students and professors. With your approval, I will begin research on this project.
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