Headed Towards Hybrid

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Post by Rachel Schultz, OLC, and Elan Paulson, Teaching & Learning

Explore the benefits of hybrid learning, and reflect on how a hybrid model could apply to your courses. 

While the pandemic has brought many challenges, it is also a time where instructors have been able to explore various pedagogical approaches using technology. It has allowed instructors to consider how course design can be enhanced by reimagining what activities can be done online more effectively, thus freeing up face-to-face time to promote deeper learning experiences.”  

Quote by higher education senior administrator, Canadian Digital Learning Research Association (2020) 

What is Hybrid Learning? 

In the literature, the terms hybrid and blended have varied definitions, or may be used interchangeably, but we refer to the mode of delivery discussed below only as hybrid. Defining modalities are challenging and changing as the Ontario education system seeks to understand them. Hybrid learning involves the strategic design and purposeful connection of both face-to-face/synchronous and online/asynchronous components (Martin, Polly, & Ritzaupt, 2020). 

What is Hybrid Learning at Conestoga?

Hybrid delivery is instruction that includes a combination of online delivery, and some classroom activities.

(Conestoga College CE, 2020)

In most cases, at Conestoga, hybrid courses will fall into one of two types:

Hybrid Online: ​All hours online with some timetabled synchronous (Zoom or Teams) hours and some asynchronous hours.

Hybrid In-Person/Online: Faculty on campus with students for timetabled in-person hours. Other hours asynchronous online.​

Some Initial Questions about Hybrid  

  • How will you decide which components will occur online, which will take place face-to-face? 
  • Is hybrid the same as flipped? What are different models of hybrid? 
  • How will you manage the relationship between these two modalities and support students in both? 
  • In what ways can hybrid learning courses be considered the best of face-to-face and online? 
  • How will you encourage attendance for the in-person sessions and make that time meaningful enough for students to come to campus? 
  • What will you enjoy most about this mode of teaching? Learning skills for both in-person and online? Increased flexibility as to mode? Other? 

Want to Know More? 

Watch the video What is…Blended Learning? [2:20] (MBR University) for a visual explanation of hybrid teaching.

What is…Blended Learning? by MRU (2019)

For more on hybrid, see the following links:

References 

Canadian Digital Learning Research Association (2020). Digital learning in Canadian higher education in 2020 Ontario report. http://www.cdlra-acrfl.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/2020-regional_ontario_en.pdf   

Martin, F., Polly, D. & Ritzaupt, A. (2020, Sept 8). Bichronous online learning: blending asynchronous and synchronous online learning. Educause Review. 

Elan Paulson

Elan Paulson, PhD, has been an educator in Ontario's higher education system since 2004. Before joining Conestoga as a Teaching and Learning Consultant, Elan was on the executive team at eCampusOntario. She previously served as Program Director and as an instructor in professional education programs at Western University's Faculty of Education. With a Master's in Educational Technology, Elan specializes in technology-enabled and collaborative learning to support diverse learners. She has also conducted research on faculty participation in communities of practice for professional learning and self-care.

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