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Hybrid Hype

Students of all majors at Monmouth University are equipped with the knowledge and

skills necessary for them to succeed in their desired career path. These essential tools are

acquired by students as they go through the rigorous curriculum proposed to them by Monmouth.

The curriculum consists of specific required courses for each major that are specifically designed

to enhance the students’ performance and knowledge in their area of study. One major that is

given an especially challenging curriculum is the major of education due to the additional

requirement of clinical experience or practice. Clinical hours for each education course is a time

consuming requirement as it involves either student observation or student teaching at an

elementary or secondary school for a certain amount of hours in addition to time devoted to

attendance for the class at Monmouth. These students struggle with time management as they

are unable to equally balance their workload within their schedule. Education courses that

involve clinical experience or practice should be made into hybrids in order for the students to

have enough time to reach their clinical practice hours as well as perform to the best of their

academic ability with their courses.

Clinical experience as well as clinical practice both require a large amount of time

outside of class. Clinical experience involves student observation of teachers within an

elementary or secondary classroom. This provides students with the opportunity to learn

firsthand how to handle real life scenarios in the classroom as well as how to properly teach

certain material. Students not only learn valuable lessons through observing but they also

become acquainted with the classroom environment. This increase of comfort in the classroom

builds upon students’ specific skills that are necessary as a teacher as well as prepares them for
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their clinical practice. Clinical practice, also known as student teaching, is an integral part of

becoming a teacher. The benefits of student teaching are described by Monmouth University as

it “provides linkage between the research and theory-based instruction..., the world of

pedagogical decision-making, and classroom teacher implementation” (Monmouth University

2018). Students are immersed into the classroom environment as teachers and are able to apply

what they have learned through their studies and observation into their teaching. The

“opportunities to apply these concepts enable students to truly learn and develop who they will

be as teachers” (Put It to Test 2018). Real life application helps the students fully understand and

embody the significance of what they are learning. The incorporation of learning through

experience is essential; however, universities “vary in the way they construct the linkage

between research and teaching” (Healey 2005). Monmouth University successfully incorporates

much clinical experience and practice in order to prepare the students for their career and mold

them into prosperous teachers. This inclusion of an abundant amount of clinical hours is

beneficial to the students in becoming teachers; however, it is a lot to balance as a full-time

student.

Most education majors at Monmouth University are double majors as they have a

concentration in a specific subject. These students are expected to complete the requirements for

both majors, which is a heavy course load. A main problem that arises within education majors

is finding time to conduct their clinical hours. It is often difficult for students to fit clinical hours

within their schedule as they have to find time around their classes. Students have to conduct

their clinical hours during a typical high school or elementary school day, which usually begins

around eight in the morning and ends at around two-thirty in the afternoon. Students’ classes
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many times fall within these hours and these classes may not be offered at another time. This

causes much conflict within the students’ schedule and makes it difficult for them to complete all

of their clinical hour requirements. It is problematic for students to try and find time to carry out

their clinical hours. An easy solution to this lack of time is to simply make more time, but how

does one make more time in a day? The answer is found within the implementation of hybrid

courses for education courses that require clinical experience or practice.

Hybrid courses are classes at Monmouth University that meet once a week in person

while the other half of the course is online. This opportunity to have a course that meets only

once a week in person increases the flexibility of the students’ schedules as well as their

availability to perform their clinical hours. Changing education courses that require clinical

experience or practice to hybrids “provides greater flexibility and convenience for students and

faculty by reducing their need for face-to-face meetings” (Jones 2010). It would lessen the

difficulty of scheduling clinical hours around classes as there are less classes to schedule around.

Monmouth University does offer hybrid education courses, but it is a small selection. These

classes are often sought after because of their convenience so the education hybrid courses that

are offered fill up rather quickly. There should not be a small selection of these education hybrid

courses. They are extremely beneficial for education majors at Monmouth as they will have

more schedule flexibility and availability to complete their clinical experience or practice hours.

A main concern for hybrid courses is the fear of not learning all of the material since the class

only meets in person once a week. However, this should not be a concern because “substantial

portions of the learning activities are moved online” (Jones 2010). The material is not reduced;

rather, it is taught in a different way. This different way of teaching online through hybrid
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courses is also helpful as it “(promotes) active independent learning” (Jones 2010). Students are

able to learn responsibility while learning the course material. Hybrid courses are an optimal

solution as students have more flexible schedules to accommodate their clinical experience or

practice and they are able to accomplish the expectations of each course on their own time.

Time management is a significant component within hybrid courses. Students have the

ability to work on their studies and assignments within each course when it is most convenient

for them. As the students do not have to meet at the university for a second time every week,

they gain time to accomplish their clinical hours. This also means that the students will have

more time for assignments and studying for each of their courses as they are able to get their

clinical hours completed and devote time to their classes. Currently, most education courses are

not hybrid and these students are struggling with time management. This is because not only do

they have trouble finding time going to their clinical hours within their schedule but they are also

unable to put their best effort into each class. This is because students are either spending their

time in the classrooms at Monmouth or at their clinical hours. They do not have much personal

time to devote to their studies or homework. This hinders the students from working to the best

of their ability and it decreases their academic performance. It is seen that students have “less

satisfaction with their work and life the more role demands they (have) to face” (Marcan 1990).

As students struggle to find time to meet all of their requirements, they do not perform as well

academically. This especially hurts the students because they are not getting the most out of

their classes. It is important that the students complete the courses that are required within the

curriculum as they provide the students with the necessary skills and knowledge to make them

successful but it is also essential that the students are able to contribute their best efforts to these
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courses in order to get the most out of them. This is why education courses that require clinical

experience or practice should be made into hybrid courses as this would allow students to have

more time to reach their clinical hour requirements. It would also provide students with more

time for their studies and homework in order to perform to the best of their academic ability and

gain the intended knowledge and skills from each course.

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Works Cited

Healey, Mick. “Linking Research and Teaching to Benefit Student Learning.” Journal of

Geography in Higher Education, vol. 29, no. 2, July 2005, pp. 183–201. EBSCOhost,

doi:10.1080/03098260500130387.

Jones, Phyllis, and Elizabeth A. West. "Moving Toward a Hybrid Teacher Education Course:

Supporting the Theory to Practice Challenge in Special Education."Journal of Special

Education Technology, vol. 25, no. 2, 2010, pp. 45-56. ProQuest,

https://ezproxy.monmouth.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.monmouth

.edu/docview/743851502?accountid=12532.

Macan, Therese H., et al. “College Students’ Time Management: Correlations with Academic

Performance and Stress.” Journal of Educational Psychology, vol. 82, no. 4, Dec. 1990,

pp. 760–768. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1037/0022-0663.82.4.760.

Monmouth University. “Student Teaching | School of Education | Monmouth University.”

School of Education, 2018,

www.monmouth.edu/school-of-education/departments/student-teaching/.

"Put it to Test: Benefits of Student Teaching." Targeted News Service, Feb 06, 2018. ProQuest,

https://ezproxy.monmouth.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.monmouth

.edu/docview/1994977031?accountid=12532.