On Offering a Blended Cell Biology Course

This article describes not only the development of the first blended science course at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, but also the development of a committed blended learning instructor. The redesign of a face-to-face cell biology course to be offered in blended format is described. Examples of activities in the initial offering of the course are presented, with emphasis on how in-class, homework and home-study activities were integrated. The benefits, successes and limitations encountered in the class are discussed, with a summary of future intentions. A key conclusion drawn from the experience is that science instructors faced with covering massive content need not worry about sacrificing content in blended courses. Properly managed, all content can be covered. What’s more, the blended format provided more opportunities for student engagement and active learning than the traditional face-to-face (F2F) version of the course.