Flipping the Way We Teach Writing: A Perspective on Student Perceptions of a Hybrid Undergraduate Technical Writing Course in Agriculture

As directives from university and college administrators to shift to alternative forms of instructional delivery to traditional lecture increase, especially in light of current concerns with COVID-19, the readiness of faculty to offer quality instruction may be put into question. This study looked at student perceptions about hybrid learning for students enrolled in a technical writing course to glean insights on how this alternative instructional approach impacts student engagement and thus the ability to accomplish the learning objectives for a technical writing course that was revised from a standard flipped class to a hybrid class. Guided by a systems thinking framework, students enrolled in this technical writing course completed an anonymous, qualitative survey with open-ended, free response questions regarding their perceptions about the connections between the online and in-person components of the course and how various factors within the class, as a system, impacted their learning experience. Four themes were identified: students appreciate autonomy, students appreciate structure, students need access to the instructor, and students value meaningful interactions. Discussion includes considerations for instructors looking to incorporate alternative instructional strategies, like a hybrid learning modality, in their agriculture courses.