Hybrid and Distance-Enhanced Courses
Learn tips and time-management skills to keep you on track when taking hybrid or distance-enhanced courses.
What to expect
In both hybrid and distance-enhanced courses, you'll have both in-person and online instruction. In hybrid courses, you'll attend class in person with your classmates one or more times per week about half the time. For distanced-enhanced courses, most of your classwork will be done online but will be enhanced with some in-person experiences throughout the semester.
For a three-credit semester class, you should expect to spend an average of six hours per week preparing for and doing homework in addition to attending class in person or online.
Quick Tips
Hybrid
Keep track of what needs to be done before attending in-person classes by setting one-time or recurring reminders with the Reminder app.
Study groups and group assignments can be conducted virtually. Chat with classmates using Teams or schedule a meeting in Outlook to plan your next collaboration session.
Keep track of the many things that you need to get done. Make a to-do list with Microsoft To-do (log-in with your name.#@osu.edu). Access your list everywhere you are from your computer, iPad, or phone.
Distance-Enhanced
Use a calendar to keep track of class times, time spent traveling to class, student org meetings, and any time you might spend studying, working, and socializing. This will help you understand when you’re free and when you need to focus. Outlook has a great calendar that you can use for time blocking and access on the go.
Time blocking
Time blocking is a proven method to help you focus and accomplish the things you need to achieve in a set amount of time.
Whether you're taking a hybrid or distance-enhanced course, make sure you know when you have to be on campus for in-person activities. Check with your instructor if you are unsure, and make sure to account for travel time on these occasions.
As an example, for a single three-credit hybrid course, build approximately six hours of homework and class preparation into your schedule around any on-campus activities and synchronous class sessions on Zoom. You could plan homework time on the days when you do not meet as a class.
For a distance-enhanced course, after blocking off time for any campus-based class activities, you could plan to spend a bit of time each day working through course modules and activities in Carmen before moving on to any homework or projects you have associated with that class. This will ensure you are staying on top of asynchronous learning and help spread the workload throughout the week.
