In the article The Design of Hybrid Teaching Environments: 10 Questions Answered published in EDUCAUSE the author poses 10 common questions about creating hybrid courses that have a mixed audience of students who are physically in the classroom with the instructor and to other students who are online watching synchronously. This is one type of hybrid course that is done at Penn State where the amount of synchronous class time is also reduced. Some of the interesting take-a-ways from this that you might want to include in your own design and teaching of hybrid courses include:
Crafting Hybrid Learning Spaces – When you are creating hybrid courses, a cornerstone of this is creating an inclusive space that breaks down barriers between remote and in-person students if having a mixed attendance audience. It also includes that all information in-person and online allows equal ability for students to participate. There is also an emphasis on social connections to bring together students with each other and the instructor, technology, and the physical and virtual spaces together to facilitate learning.
Course Design – When creating the flow of learning throughout the week consider the timing including “when, how, and why the content is being taught” along with devising effective interactions among students’ learning needs.
Embracing Hybrid for All Class Sizes – Whether you’re in an intimate small-group classroom or a lively lecture hall, hybrid teaching has been proven effective. Course design can be adapted to each class size with small classes focusing on personalized experiences and interactions among the entire class along with thinking about offering more flexibility of the class. For large classes, consider polling software like Top Hat used at Penn State along with real-time chat functions for fostering peer-to-peer learning.
Student Engagement Tips – Engaging students in a hybrid setup should have thoughtful consideration, some tips given include incorporating “active learning, clear expectations, interactive technology, feedback, personalization, support, and clear communication” (Rutherford, 2023).
In wrapping up, as we know the hybrid teaching landscape continues to be a dynamic and exciting space. With our ongoing efforts to embrace change, let’s continue to learn together and create meaningful learning experiences for our students.
Reference:
Rutherford, J. (2023, August 16). The design of hybrid teaching environments: 10 questions answered. EDUCAUSE Review. https://er.educause.edu/articles/2023/8/the-design-of-hybrid-teaching-environments-10-questions-answered