Hybrid Teaching and Learning | Understanding the variables to make it work
Meeting the needs of learners in different environments amplified by Covid19, and particularly the highly transmissible Omicron variant, in a way that is physically, mentally and emotionally possible for teachers in a practical and sustainable manner, has thrown up a whole range of variables. Welcome to the concept of Hybrid Learning. How do we find the balance between what is possible and what is realistically doable?
Covid19 is not new news. We're now into our third trip around the sun with regards to our global journey with Covid19 and its variants. This is not our first rodeo, so to speak.
How responsive are we to adapt to the changes to learning needs brought upon us by the highly transmissible variants of Covid19?
Some of the variables in the Hybrid Teaching and Learning space that I've experienced so far includes:
- Students understanding the value of the hybrid model of learning for themselves and empathy for others.
- Buy-in from students in the classroom.
- Engagement from students learning from home.
- Staff capability to execute and apply online learning (possibly in real-time), and onsite learning both at the same time.
- Preparation of lesson resources in a digital context eg. lesson structure and flow, exemplars, demonstrations, resources to support content knowledge and understanding, resources to support the practical application of a subject
- Fluidly transitioning between onsite, offsite, online or a combination of all three, in a way that still allows effective teaching and learning to take place
- Timetable adaptations
Varying degrees of hybrid learning to suit the learning situation:
- are the offsite students working online during the lesson at the same time as students who are onsite?
- are the offsite students accessing the lesson information outside of the lesson time?
- are the onsite students accessing the lesson information outside of the lesson time?
- are recordings happening during the lesson and in real time, to capture the learning outcomes in class?
- are recordings being made either before or after the lesson to respond to learning outcomes associated with the lesson?
- are the recordings instructional? eg. The learning intention for the lesson is ... The following is a demonstration on how to .... etc
- are the recordings responsive? eg. In order to respond to your query on (x, y, z), let's look at/investigate/inquire into ...
- are the recordings inclusive of a combination of instructional and responsive approaches to teaching and learning?
- are recordings being used at all?
- what combination of hybrid teaching is possible and most effective for classes of younger learners, senior students at the start of their NCEA journey or in their final year of NCEA Level 3?
- what combination of hybrid teaching is possible and most effective for large class sizes, louder classes etc?
- are the vast range of learning needs such as literacy, learning and behaviour, high ability etc still getting the same level of focus and depth, and how are these able to be met within the hybrid learning model?
What did our teacher practice look like prior to Covid19?, throughout our journey with Covid19?, and at our current place with Covid19 at the beginning of the 2022 academic year? What are we already considering with regards to what could happen beyond the now?
Hopefully from the snapshot overview that I've provided in this post just from my insights alone, it is easy to see that none of this is a one-stop-shop scenario that can be applied anywhere and everywhere. The boundaries of teaching and learning are being constantly challenged. And so I'm filled with more musings about the 'how'. How can we best support our learners? How can we best support our educators? How can we best support our learning communities?
Reflecting back to my original question about, 'How do we find the balance between what is possible and what is realistically doable?', involves understanding and accepting the breadth and depth of the variables that are changing every lesson, every day, every week and every month. As overwhelming as this may seem at times, focussing on what is directly in front of me, seems to be the best way of finding the balance required to navigate hybrid teaching and learning on a daily basis. And so, I leave you with this ... one of my favourite movie quotes ...
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