Hybrid Learning in Geological Engineering: Why, How, and to What End? Preliminary Results

As hybrid learning environments gain attention in post-secondary education, engineering educators and professionals are interested to know how the hybrid learning model affects undergraduate learning. The objective of this study is to analyze the effects of hybrid learning environments on student performance in engineering courses by comparing traditional lecture methods with hybrid methods in parallel over the same academic year. Half of the students in the study course experience a hybrid "flipped" classroom while the other half participate in traditional lecture delivery. Hybrid students watch online video lessons, read selected texts, and take quizzes before coming to class each week for a problem-solving session lead by the instructor. Group problem solving is emphasized while the instructor acts as a guide for learning in this student-centered, modeled-learning approach. Over the course of the study, student tool use was tracked and students participated in surveying and focus group sessions to identify effects on student achievement, time, and preference between hybrid and traditional methods of learning. In this paper, methods and preliminary results from the study in the 2012-2013 academic year are presented, along with anecdotal experiences on student performance, perception, and preferences, as well as the implications for sustainability.