In spring 2021, inspired by feedback from students, I redesigned my two undergraduate education courses as blended learning courses.
While I was familiar with the benefits of blended learning (e.g., flexibility, increased student engagement, improved academic achievement), what I didn’t realize was how essential this model was for teaching in the wake of a global pandemic. Throughout spring 2021, I heard from several of my colleagues about students who fell behind because they missed multiple weeks of classes due to the pandemic, family emergencies, and other mental and physical health issues. Yet, in my courses, the blended learning model made it possible for students to make up any classes they missed within the same week and stay on track. My Monday interactive virtual Zoom classes were recorded so students who missed a class could watch it later, and my Wednesday…
