Courses offer mix of class and Internet
New hybrid courses available this fall
Gina Valerio
Issue date: 4/14/08 Section: News
San Jacinto College is excited to offer two new hybrid biology courses along with 10 related virtual labs available for students this fall.
"A traditional biology lab allows students to conduct hands-on experiments," biology professor Kelly Mizell said on the introduction to virtual labs. "A virtual lab will allow students to conduct lab simulations as many times as they need to and at their own pace."
Hybrid courses are a unity of face-to-face classes with a mix of distance learning where a portion of the workload takes place through the Internet.
"As hard as science is, it's nice to have the option," Brooklyn James, a Central student, said. "At U of H I took three hybrid classes. The combination of class and online makes any course a lot easier."
Virtual labs will allow the students to take the required science experiments and approach them electronically.
"A traditional biology lab allows students to conduct hands-on experiments," Mizell said on the introduction to virtual labs. "A virtual lab will allow students to conduct lab simulations as many times as they need to and at their own pace."
The introduction of the hybrid biology course advances the college's goal of making the complete core curriculum available to students at a distance. The opportunity for students to earn college credit is provided no matter where they are.
The virtual labs give the students an opportunity to step out of the traditional sulfur fragranced lab rooms.
In the current hybrid biology course, 51 percent of the course involves face-to-face instruction and the following 49 percent takes place online.
Recently, Central provided students with a hybrid historical geology class with professor Sharon Choens at the helm.
"The problem I find with hybrid classes is that kids are usually not as successful with them compared to taking the regular class," Choens said, reflecting her personal experience with hybrid classes. "I find that kids don't have a strong enough science background to fully understand the work they are required to do by themselves."
"A traditional biology lab allows students to conduct hands-on experiments," biology professor Kelly Mizell said on the introduction to virtual labs. "A virtual lab will allow students to conduct lab simulations as many times as they need to and at their own pace."
Hybrid courses are a unity of face-to-face classes with a mix of distance learning where a portion of the workload takes place through the Internet.
"As hard as science is, it's nice to have the option," Brooklyn James, a Central student, said. "At U of H I took three hybrid classes. The combination of class and online makes any course a lot easier."
Virtual labs will allow the students to take the required science experiments and approach them electronically.
"A traditional biology lab allows students to conduct hands-on experiments," Mizell said on the introduction to virtual labs. "A virtual lab will allow students to conduct lab simulations as many times as they need to and at their own pace."
The introduction of the hybrid biology course advances the college's goal of making the complete core curriculum available to students at a distance. The opportunity for students to earn college credit is provided no matter where they are.
The virtual labs give the students an opportunity to step out of the traditional sulfur fragranced lab rooms.
In the current hybrid biology course, 51 percent of the course involves face-to-face instruction and the following 49 percent takes place online.
Recently, Central provided students with a hybrid historical geology class with professor Sharon Choens at the helm.
"The problem I find with hybrid classes is that kids are usually not as successful with them compared to taking the regular class," Choens said, reflecting her personal experience with hybrid classes. "I find that kids don't have a strong enough science background to fully understand the work they are required to do by themselves."
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