Blended, Friday class options gain popularity
By JJ Ossola
IV Leader Staff
This semester 79 students have enrolled in of Illinois Valley
Community College's Friday College courses.
Courses available were English 1001, English 1002, Sociology
1000, Math 1008, and Biology 1000.
Classes are scheduled for an hour and fifteen minutes on Fridays and additional
studies are conducted online.
Friday blended classes were designed for the returning or
working student community. They offer the flexibility of doing your coursework
online while still providing the student an opportunity to interact in the
classroom.
Emily Vescogni, director of learning technologies, said,
"This semester enrollment is up and people are catching on to the idea that they
can come to campus once each week."
She also said, "By combining the one day of class work with
the required online component, students can maintain a full-time schedule."
Director of admissions and records Tracy Morris agreed. "I
think the Friday college option is great for students who still need the
face-to-face contact with a teacher to be successful, but also want the freedom
of the online class. It is another great way to build flexibility to work school
into a student's busy lifestyle."
Additional benefits for students include less money and time
spent coming to the campus and more control for the student as to the rate in
which they cover material.
At 12 hours per semester, a student could earn the credits
necessary for an AA or AS transfer degree in three years. By adding online or
telecourse offerings, a student could complete the degree requirements more
quickly.
While many have discovered positive aspects of blended
classes, there are some negatives.
English instructor Tara Lyons said, “For example, some
students might feel they are bothering their instructors if they e-mail or call
numerous times throughout the semester to ask questions. Therefore, it is
essential that we as teachers of blended classes encourage and even praise
students for seeking clarification on any course material. Another negative I've
experience from the teacher's perspective is that I don't get to see my students
as often. The high teachers get from having taught an amazing class can
sometimes become lost when class occurs in cyberspace."