Every year there is one constant— that at the end of summer the days begin to inch shorter around us and overnight the Fall season arrives, bringing with it the new school year and the excitement, new school supplies, and new gear. However, this year is different, similarly to last year. After a school year and a half that saw the global transition to remote learning, followed by a sequence of shifts to and from various different hybrid learning models, educators and students around the country are wondering what the 2021-2022 school year has in store for them.

Last year, with COVID-19 as a prevalent figure in our lives, it was easy for school districts to enact blanket remote learning policies that encouraged everyone to get comfortable telecommuting to their classes every day. Unfortunately, this shift was met with mixed results as students of all ages were forced to adapt quickly to an entire new form of learning. This fully remote classroom structure ultimately resulted in three-quarters of teachers saying that their students were less engaged during remote instruction than before the pandemic.

Throughout the pandemic, many school districts used a hybrid learning model— a model that combines the best aspects of remote and in-person learning with a rotating schedule of students attending classes in each form depending on the day— in order to allow the return of some semblance of normalcy. 

Now, after three semesters of uncertainty, school districts are once again debating what the return to the classroom will look like for the upcoming school year.

How K-12 Schools are Returning to the Classroom in 2021

The U.S. government has taken a proactive approach to the upcoming school year. In August they released their “Return to School Roadmap” outlining how they are prioritizing student and community educational success in the coming year, with a clear emphasis on in-person learning. This initiative is a comprehensive approach intent on:

• Prioritizing the health and safety of students, staff, and educations
• Building school communities and supporting the social, emotional, and mental health of students
• Accelerating academic achievement 
  
  

Additionally, the Department of Education will also be providing parents and practitioners with the resources they need to conduct a smooth transition. With assistance from the American Rescue Plan, President Biden’s “Build Back Better” agenda, and a selection of additional federal funds, the D.O.E. is confident that they are prepared to rebuild our nation’s schools in a post-pandemic world. 

According to Miguel Cadona, U.S. Secretary of Education, this emphasis on returning to fully in-person sooner rather than later is a necessary component to returning to normal life in a post-COVID-19 world, “Now, we must use our renewed strength to focus on what matters most: winning the fight against COVID-19, getting our students back in classrooms for full-time in-person learning— together— and making our education system better than ever before so that all students receive the excellent education they deserve.”

Source: Unsplash

Hybrid Learning is Here to Stay

Despite an emphasis on returning to the classroom fully in-person this fall on the federal level, AT&T’s recent Future of Work Report found that on the individual school district level there is much enthusiasm for the continuation of hybrid learning. A whopping 94% of K-12 teachers and parents are open to hybrid learning as long as they have the proper resources, curriculum, and support to assist them along the way.

And while hybrid learning was used as the primary mode for many districts last year, even if they return to a full in-person schedule when the school year starts, many teachers and parents are in favor of keeping remote learning as an option when necessary— with 71% of teachers and 83% of parents supporting having virtual classroom days to avoid bad weather. This overwhelming support for more flexible learning models makes one thing clear: hybrid learning is here to stay.

Hybrid Learning 101

Regardless of whether your school district is entering the new school year with a hybrid state of mind or not, if we’ve learned anything since March 2020 it’s that nothing is for certain. As COVID-19 continues to thrive in many locations, there is no telling exactly when the pandemic will officially end. Therefore, it’s essential that school districts remain flexible this year by continuing to prepare for hybrid learning.

Thankfully, after a year of remote and hybrid learning, as educators and students prepare for the return to the classroom this fall they are already equipped with a lot of the tools and resources they’ll need to effectively participate in a hybrid learning model. To help you get started acclimating to hybrid learning, here’s a refresher course.

For a complete overview of what it takes to create a successful hybrid learning environment, download our free Hybrid Learning Guide today.

Source: Unsplash

What is Hybrid Learning?

Hybrid learning is a classroom model that blends components of both remote and in-person learning with the use of synchronous and asynchronous educational tools. Within a hybrid learning model, students alternate between attending classes remotely and in-person in order to promote social distancing best practices in the classroom. 

During hybrid lessons, educators teach both remote and in-person the same lessons and at the same time by blending the use of live lessons, pre-recorded lessons, collaborative hybrid group work, and self-paced online courses. When hybrid learning is done successfully, the remote and in-person elements of class blend together to create a cohesive learning environment that is productive for all parties— regardless of where they are learning from on any given day.

Hybrid Learning Tech Essentials

The strength of your hybrid classroom will depend on how well you integrate tech tools into your lesson plans. Because the success of your tech will dictate the full learning experience of your remote students, taking the time to invest in the right tools for your classroom’s needs is an essential component of setting your educators and students up for a productive year. 

Additionally, the tools you choose to support hybrid learning need to be user-friendly and intuitive, since they will be used regularly by a variety of educators and students of varying technological capabilities and ages. Last but not least, to be truly hybrid, the tech used to support your classroom activities needs to be compatible with both remote and in-person learning.

Let’s take a look at the top tech tools you’ll need to run a successful hybrid classroom:

• Education Technology

Also known as Ed Tech— education technology is a comprehensive field that includes all software and hardware used to assist students in attending classes virtually. The Ed Tech you choose will become the backbone of your hybrid lesson plans, due to it being a one-stop shop for online courses and self-paced learning resources. Popular education technology services include Google Classroom and Apex Learning.

• Learning Management System

Think of your LMS as the messenger for delivering all of your classroom materials and resources electronically to your students. Learning Management Systems provide educators with a seamless way to incorporate digital textbooks, virtual materials, and online texts and quizzes in their lesson plans. Two of the most popular LMS’s are Blackboard and Canvas.

• Video Conferencing Software

Arguably the most necessary component of a hybrid classroom— the video conferencing platform you use will be the bridge that connects the remote and in-person halves of your learning environment. By choosing a platform that is user-friendly for all ages and compatible with all devices, you can ensure that no remote students miss out on their virtual lessons. Popular video conferencing platforms for hybrid classrooms are Zoom, Webex, and Skype.

• Smart Video Camera

Creating a seamless way to stream your lessons to remote students requires you to invest in a smart video camera, in order to best replicate the coveted fully in-person feeling for your hybrid classes. Some smart cameras, like the Meeting Owl Pro, have 360° capabilities designed to ensure no aspect of in-person classes are missed by remote learners. To find the best camera for your next hybrid class, here is our classroom camera comparison guide.

Hybrid Learning Best Practices

Whether you’ve been teaching in a hybrid classroom for years now or the 2021-2022 school year will be your first time participating in hybrid lessons, keeping these best practices in mind will be a surefire way to have a successful year:

• Remember, if something is new for you then there is a good chance it is new for your students too— show grace when incorporating new learning styles into your classroom.
• Be open to continuous adaptation based on what works well for your unique classroom and students.
• Try not to favor or neglect either half of your class (remote or in-person students) and instead craft lesson plans that include all students to create a cohesive learning environment.
• Use a blend of synchronous and asynchronous learning styles in order to provide your students with a variety of learning experiences.
• As your semester progresses, don’t be afraid to reorganize your classroom or restructure your lessons based on the strengths of your class.
• When possible, save independent online work for target learning, individual lesson extensions, or one-on-one teaching and meetings to avoid remote learning burnout.
• To make your virtual lessons as accessible as possible, provide mobile learning options.
• The most successful hybrid classrooms are a balance of online and in-person lessons that prioritize face-to-face work.
• When teaching, remember to teach just as much to your remote students as you naturally do to your in-person students.
• When introducing students to new tech, take the necessary time to train them on how to use it to avoid any unnecessary roadblocks in the future.
• Remember that you are a member of the greater hybrid learning community. When you find yourself stuck, turn to other hybrid educators that you respect and gather their wisdom.
• Keep a trusted IT rep on speed dial to troubleshoot any tech issues that may arise
• Continuously gather feedback from students in order to optimize their learning experience.
  
  

No two hybrid classrooms look and feel exactly the same. When designing yours, it should be tailored to the specificity of your lesson plan and the needs of your individual students. For inspiration, check out these 7 Institutions That Are Using Technology to Create Top-Notch Distance Learning Opportunities.