While traditional courses are conducted solely face-to-face in the classroom, hybrid courses combine online learning with face-to-face classroom learning.
Traditional courses and the on-campus portion of hybrid courses are, of course, held in real time. However, the online learning portion of hybrid courses can either be held synchronously (live), or asynchronously (via archived lectures).
Traditional courses require that students travel to a campus or physical location for every lecture. Hybrid courses offer students the flexibility of learning both at home and at campus locations.
Traditional courses offer a maximum amount of personal interaction and face-to-face interactivity. While hybrid courses offer less personal interactivity, they provide greater scheduling flexibility and autonomy.
The face-to-face nature of traditional courses does not necessarily provide for optimal learning. In fact, studies show that students in hybrid courses have better learning outcomes than students learning solely on-campus due to the flexibility of hybrid courses and the self-reliance they demand.