Voices of faculty members in the community college: A grounded theory study on hybrid course development and delivery

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the perspectives of community college faculty members with regard to the processes and contexts of hybrid course design. This study addresses a gap in the literature regarding hybrid courses in the community college setting from faculty members' perspectives. Implications for improved practice in hybrid course development are discussed. In this study hybrid courses are defined as the traditional face-to-face instruction and Internet-based instruction combined into one class. A grounded theory approach was used to evaluate these data. Highlights of this study reveal five themes that emerged from the reflective narratives of these community college instructors. Through the complex interactions and conditions of these faculty participants, a process emerged that describes various components of designing and developing hybrid courses. Beginning with participants' motivations and institutional expectations, courses were designed and redesigned to create meaningful learning for students. Hybrid course designs allowed faculty participants the flexibility to utilize the best of the online and face-to-face classroom environments. A model was created that indicates how the faculty participants' goals to create meaningful learning for their students evolved over time. Further, the model explores issues that affect the conditional contexts of designing hybrid courses. These issues include the utility of various teaching strategies and methods, community college student characteristics, the effects of institutional support for instructors' innovative teaching practices, implications for professional development, and the learning communities of the faculty participants.