Hybridization between Classroom and On-line Teaching: an Alternative Teaching Approach

Though face to face class is still a dominant-teaching approach in most higher educational institutes, with the development of internet technology, on-line teaching has been increasingly popular. This paper intends to share experiences, myths, and lessons that the authors have learned during exploration of hybridization between classroom and on-line teaching of an undergraduate course in the area of mechanical engineering. Several key factors have been used to determine effectiveness and efficiency of this blended teaching approach. The paper will also discuss how the hybridization takes advantage and avoids disadvantages of both traditional classroom teaching and on-line teaching. The hybridization approach is also compared with traditional classroom teaching. The current student survey and course assessment indicates that the approach provides a promising alternative for teaching an undergraduate course.