Effective use of hybrid courses in undergraduate public health education

New technologies often polarize educators; some take up the banner of tradition and refuse to consider changing their approach while others leap into the use of untested innovations without hesitation. Online teaching is no longer new, but its' effective use in the classroom is relatively poorly evaluated and even those who are comfortable with new technology may not have been trained in its' use or given sound pedagogical reasons to incorporate technology-driven approaches to learning into their classrooms. This presentation describes how one educator has developed hybrid courses grounded in the traditional face-to-face classroom and creatively engaging students through an online environment as well. In particular, I will focus on the benefits of such approaches in teaching public health courses to undergraduates. Based on my own experience in the virtual classroom, as well as the literature on the subject of online teaching, I will offer specific insights into what works and what doesn't work, common pitfalls instructors experience and suggestions for how to adapt existing courses to include online components that improve student learning.