Transforming Courses Across Teaching Modalities in Higher Education

Abstract

This article explores the transformation of courses among online, traditional, and hybrid modalities with a special focus on transforming an online course into a traditional classroom format. While there has been much written about transforming courses from traditional to online, especially as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has not been much written about the reverse kind of transformation; that is from online to traditional. We have found that you cannot simply use the same course shells and methods that were used in online instruction. This article provides both a context and specific advice regarding how to conduct a successful transformation from online to traditional modalities based on both failures and successes with successes primarily emanating by enlisting students as full partners in this transformation. The article uses three voices (instructor, student, program director) to explore the context of the problem as well as to offer direction to those who undertake such transformations. Although the course cited in this article is a doctoral course in statistical procedures, we think that the lessons learned here transcend this specific course and can be useful in most other courses whether taught face-to-face or online.