With the university’s push towards incorporating more online teaching, “blended” courses (courses in which some classroom time is replaced by online material) have appeared. In my faculty (Public Affairs), the blended model was rolled out as a half-and-half model (with classroom meetings 1.5 hours/week rather than three). Last year, I was one of a few instructors who received a competitive grant to test pilot the format.12

Some instructors who use a blended model use formal online “modules.” I used the blended format in my Israeli-Palestinian relations course as an opportunity to assign more material, including scholarly books and articles, op-ed articles, graphic novels, and some excellent feature and documentary films.

Knowing students were reading and watching a variety of high-quality materials from a variety of perspectives, I eased off the formal lecture format and instead used class time to lead a back-and-forth discussion of the various themes and problems raised weekly — what some refer to as a “flipped” classroom.

The results were mixed. On one hand, making the classroom experience more interactive with less perceived need to “fill” the students with “information” enabled us to have a broad-ranging, analytical conversation, particularly around what can be the sensitive topic of Israeli-Palestinian relations.

On the other hand, some students complained about the additional independent work they were asked to do in lieu of the in-class time. Not all students seemed to realize that the course was in “blended” format (or didn’t realize what “blended” meant) when they registered. Neither were the pedagogical goals entirely clear to me. I was of the understanding that the push towards blended offerings was aimed at accommodating students’ off-campus employment schedules, and to partially alleviate the crunch on classroom space. Neither of these are pedagogically driven in a pure way, but both — particularly the former — can contribute to more content students trying to balance multiple demands. And in the big picture of creating an intellectual community, that — to my mind — is a worthy goal.

This year, I will run a blended model in two courses. One is an intensive writing seminar. There, students will be required to write multiple drafts outside of class on which I will give regular feedback. In that course, owing to the frequent writing exercises, I hope students will be more willing to embrace the blended format. In the Israeli-Palestinian course, realizing that 1.5 hours of reduced class time doesn’t necessarily translate to 1.5 hours of additional efficient reading time, I plan to trim the syllabus — both by reducing the reading load and reducing the frequency of written responses required.

Owing to the principle of academic freedom, we don’t tend to calibrate our reading and writing requirements across courses in any precise sense. This means that working out the optimal blended-format course structure is proving to be a trial-and-error process. I hope that providing a slightly condensed reading list will alleviate some pressure on students for whom 90 minutes of independent reading feels like “more work” than 90 minutes of in-class time.

In thousands of classrooms across Canada, students sit in bolted-down chairs, periodically nodding off as a professor drones on for three hours straight. In these classes, a lecture truly lives up to its name. It’s not always pretty.

And then there’s Richard Nimijean’s classes.

Nimijean, a professor of Canadian Studies at ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´, decided that he wanted to try a new way of teaching: a flipped classroom.

Flipping a classroom means that the traditional professor-student dynamic is thrown out the window in favour of a co-operative learning environment where students think critically about the course material.

This includes creating discussion questions for break-out groups in class, participating in cuLearn exercises, and keeping PowerPoint presentations brief to promote active learning and avoid distractions.

“Flipping is a little bit dangerous but also a lot of fun,” says Nimijean. “Any time you try to do something different, there’s always a fear that’s involved because you’re going away from what’s known, not only for you but for your students.”

Nimijean’s first experience in flipping was while teaching a Canadian Studies course in the summer semester of 2012. He faced some difficulties as students could choose to watch the course online—which meant a vibrant classroom atmosphere wasn’t possible with only six students.

“Despite my intentions, it turned into a three hour lecturefest twice a week,” he says.

He tried again in 2013 in his next major first-year class, now armed with a better understanding of flipping from the past year and a half.

Term papers and lectures were gone; Nimijean introduced break-out groups, one minute essays, and final papers that made students think critically about real world scenarios.

“I think students do recognize when you’re trying, when you’re passionate, when you listen to them and respect them,” he says.

Flipping didn’t always live up to Nimijean’s expectations, though. Some students found it too challenging and were confused by his break from the traditional lecture atmosphere. After receiving some negative midterm reviews by students, he decided to revert back to the standard teaching method.

“You feel like you’re really putting yourself out there. But it was seen as a burden precisely by those students who you’re trying to help the most,” he says.

Despite the stumbling blocks, Nimijean says he’d like to try it again, calling it a “great experience.” This time, he says he’ll stick to upper-year classes, where participation and stimulating class discussion are more welcomed.

“I think the benefits are there, but as I’m reflecting on things now, it could always be better. It’s an ongoing experiment.”

Learn more

Part of Contact North | Contact Nord’s Emerging Technologies Training Program, the briefing covered a variety of topics, including the changing nature of the student body and its use of technology, myths and distractions in online learning, and opportunities for online learning to meet students’ needs.

If you missed the presentation, we’ve got you covered! Watch it all on our .