Definitions
Program Modalities
GVSU programs (majors, minors, certificates, and badges) are offered in four modalities.
ONLINE
Students are not required to come to any GVSU campus to complete the program requirements. Instruction is fully online.
HYBRID
Students come to a GVSU campus more than one time a semester for face-to-face instruction, with additional class meetings online. Instruction is online and face-to-face.
LOW-RESIDENCY
Students come to a GVSU campus no more than one time a semester (e.g., one weekend, week, class session, etc.). Instruction is mostly online.
FACE-TO-FACE
Students are required to come to a GVSU campus for face-to-face instruction to complete the program requirements. Instruction is face-to-face.
Course Formats
GVSU courses are delivered in four different formats.
In-Person classes are intended to be taken in a physical, face-to-face setting during scheduled class meeting times. Online technology may enhance but not replace in-person contact hours and instruction.
Hybrid classes are a combination of in-person and online instruction. Online interactions intentionally replace contact hours that would otherwise take place in a scheduled in-person class. A hybrid class is designed to integrate in-person and online activities so that they reinforce and complement one another.
Online classes have all required interactions online only, including instruction, learning activities, and interactions (both student-student and/or student-instructor). All the class work (e.g.,, examinations, quizzes, writing assignments, lab work, etc.) are fully online.
- Synchronous - Instruction is delivered 100% in real time online, with scheduled dates and times for online class meetings. Synchronous online courses resemble in-person classes in that students must be (virtually) present at the same time. Though they are conducted over the internet, synchronous online courses unfold in real-time.
- Asynchronous - Instruction is delivered 100% online and no real-time meetings are required. Asynchronous courses do not require students to log in to a virtual classroom at a specified time. The only requirement regarding when they turn in their work is the assignment deadline.
- Combination - Instruction is delivered with asynchronous and synchronous elements.
Multiple Delivery courses give students the ability to choose to attend some or all class sessions either in-person or online. The option of course formats available to students will vary from course to course, but may include some of the following options: In-person class sessions; Attend online class sessions synchronously; View recorded class sessions asynchronously; or some combination of the three previous options
In Banner, students will see two types of Multiple Delivery courses:
- Fixed - Students sign up for a single course format for the full term.
- Flexible - Students can choose which course format to attend, class session to class session.