Definitions

Definitions of Teaching Modalities

Higher education has its own language and sometimes it's helpful to define the terms to make sure we're all on the same page! Here are a few common buzzwords related to online teaching in our context at Texas Tech.

1. Face-to-face classes will only meet on campus. Faculty often use an online course system like Blackboard to supplement in-class work.

2. Hybrid courses include a combination of online and on-campus meetings. The on-campus meeting times are listed on every student's schedule. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board defines a hybrid class as one in which a majority (more than 50% but less than 85%) of the planned instruction occurs when the students and instructor(s) are not in the same place. There are several types of hybrid courses, but the three most popular are:

1.  Traditional hybrid – students typically meet face-to-face one day a week and the instructor lectures during this time. There are additional learning assignments/activities that the students complete on their own.
2.  Flipped class – students listen to recorded lectures on their own outside of the face-to-face meeting. During the face-to-face time, students are engaged in application, problem solving and learning activities.
3. Hyflex (Alternating or Flexible Hybrid) – a group of students are face-to-face in a classroom, and another group of students are in a different location (e.g., at home, regional site). This type of hybrid class requires the students to typically have a webcam and microphone, and the instructor to teach in a classroom with appropriate remote delivery equipment (i.e., camera/s and microphone/s).

3. Online Asynchronous: This is an online course that allows students to log into Texas Tech's Learning Management System (Blackboard) any time during the day to access course materials and complete assignments. Homework and exams has defined due dates.

4. Online Synchronous: This is an online course that meets at specific times. Faculty use conference meeting tools to deliver lectures, work with groups of students, or demonstrate concepts. Homework and exams have defined due dates and homework and exams are typically submitted through tools such as Blackboard. This type of class requires the students to have a webcam and micr