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Understanding Hybrid Learning and Its Problems

As schools reopen in less than a month, academic institutions are releasing their plans for the fall semester. Some institutions are returning to in-person learning, others are staying remote, and others are attempting to use a hybrid model of learning. Hybrid learning is one of the many proposed solutions for education during COVID-19 and is gaining increased attraction. But what is it exactly? What are the problems? This blog details the many different forms of hybrid learning, along with their shortcomings.

What Is Hybrid Learning?

Hybrid learning is a type of education style that mixes both in-person and remote learning. Face-to-face time in the classroom tends to center around group discussion and collaborative experiences, while online components can be used for independent study and multimedia-enhanced content creation. Although it existed long before today, in the wake of COVID-19 many institutions are turning to hybrid learning as a way to increase physical classes while decreasing exposure risks. 

Types of Hybrid Learning

An important note to remember about hybrid learning is that it is incredibly flexible and can and will take the form of many different strategies. Listed below are the most common models created during the pandemic:

In-Person Learning for Only Core Subjects:

Many parents and professionals are concerned that children are not adequately learning while at home. HM Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills, Amanda Spielman, admits that “it would be unrealistic for anyone, including me, to expect the vast majority of children to have made the same progress they would have made if they’d been in school.” In order to offset the lack of progress made, some are allowing in-person learning for core subjects. Core subjects such as math, science, english, and history would be taken in-person, and electives such as foreign languages, art, and physical education would be online. This model provides much needed personal instruction to the most important courses while also decreasing the risk of exposure by shortening the school day and reducing class size. 

Elementary School In-Person, Middle and High School Remote:

According to the Center for Disease Control, people of higher ages have an increased risk of contracting the virus and suffering more severe symptoms. Therefore, children are not deemed a vulnerable group. Using this information, some institutions are considering sending elementary students back to school while middle and high school students remain remote. This would decrease exposure risk since elementary students are not considered vulnerable. 

Such a model allows schools to restart in-person learning with a smaller number of students, spreading them out across buildings and making social distancing on buses easier to achieve. Remote learning is difficult for younger children to pay attention to and lacks the stimulation that one receives from in-person education. Having elementary schools in person allows younger students, who generally need more support, to grow socially and academically. 

Split Schedule:

In this model, students are divided into two groups—one group attends school in the morning, the other group comes in the afternoon. When not in school, students learn through online resources. In between sessions, time is allotted for the thorough cleaning of the building before the next group arrives. The benefits of split-schedule are that all students receive daily, in-person instruction. These smaller groups of students make it easier for schools to adhere to social distancing protocols in buildings and on buses. 

In-Person Only for Students with Accommodations:

As we are currently learning, not all students have the same luxuries at their disposal, such as special help, adequate food supply, or technology. For these very reasons, one model of hybrid learning calls for ESL (English as a Second or Foreign Language Student), special education, low-income, and vulnerable students, such as those who are homeless or in foster care, to be the only students who receive in-person education. A positive outcome of this model is that it limits the numbers of students and staff members inside the building at a time, making it easier to comply with social distancing practices. On top of allowing more room for social distancing, the students most in need of academic and special support can get the face-to-face interactions and resources they need to succeed. 

What is Needed to Replicate the Hybrid Model?

Flexibility is key to implementing the hybrid model in academic institutions during this upcoming school year. With the hybrid schedule, schools may not be open Monday through Friday, or even during certain hours. Being flexible and working with such obscure schedules is a necessary component of the hybrid model, a condition that may not be attainable for most students. As school hours are different, so will the deadlines of assignments. To make up for the flexible school schedule, project-based learning would be highly implemented so students can do their work independently. This school year, the high schools depend on online instruction for fundamentals and will dedicate in-person time for immersive projects that students can choose themselves. With this idea in mind, teachers will deliver two to four core lessons a week to a select group of students and dedicate additional time for those who are struggling to keep up in remote classes. Project-based learning builds soft skills, including time management and proactive learning, which are fundamental skills in the real world, both in and out of the classroom. 

As stated above, project-based learning is the future of hybrid education, but to create a successful hybrid classroom, academic institutions need to have a learning management system that helps students navigate both the in-person and remote classrooms. Learning management systems are especially important when students are working remotely because it helps keep their assignments, deadlines, and grades organized in one place. Being able to keep track of school work on one online platform makes hybrid and remote learning manageable. Teacher created videos should be put on the learning management system so students continue to learn on their own time from home. These videos will not only teach students valuable information, but it will help them with their projects and assignments. Maximizing productive interaction is imperative if schools are utilizing the hybrid model because, with limited in-person time, class time needs to be maximized. With that being said, hybrid learning allows students to get the individualized attention they struggle to get remotely, but at the cost of their health. Implementing a hybrid learning strategy that best fits the community is imperative, so if that means a 10/90 in-person to remote ratio, most classes will be remote. 

What Are The Problems Of Hybrid Learning?

“Regardless of decreased class sizes and deep cleanings, returning to in-person learning will always come with a level of contagion risk”

To many people, hybrid learning seems like a magic solution to the problems that currently plague in-person and remote learning. However, hybrid learning does not come without its issues. 

In-Person Instruction Will Always Be A Risk 

Regardless of decreased class sizes and deep cleanings, returning to in-person learning will always come with a level of contagion risk. It is unrealistic to believe that proper social distancing can be adhered to perfectly each day, especially by young children. Also, while some may believe that children are not vulnerable to the virus, their instructors are. One in five of the teachers in the United States is 55 or older. So while young students could be safe, returning to school undoubtedly puts faculty and staff at risk. 

Varied Programs Are Not Compatible With Every Schedule 

For many working parents, the varied nature of hybrid learning is not compatible with their work schedule. With the incredible time variability in hybrid models and parents returning to work, figuring out child care becomes difficult for working parents. This can impact a student’s attendance and a parent’s work performance. 

It Is Expensive and Inaccessible

Hybrid learning is dependent on the return of faculty and staff, increased janitorial staff, more busses for varied bus routes, more certified nurses, etc. All of this together makes returning to school expensive. However, not only is it expensive to provide in-person instruction, but remote instruction also requires each student to own a device and have reliable internet. 

While the benefits of hybrid learning are evident, institutions should not be quick to openly adopt it for their own school districts. Hybrid learning does capitalize on the positives of remote and in-person learning: personalized instruction, social growth, and smaller classes. But hybrid learning also, unfortunately, inherits some of the negatives of remote and in-person learning: increased exposure, lack of funding, and inaccessibility. The inconsistency of hybrid learning and the health risks it imposes are problems educators and parents will need to weigh out as they make their upcoming decision for the fall semester.


Written by Natalie Lieberson

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