With students partially returning to schools—and given that partial or complete closures of educational institutions will continue to be the norm this year—schools have been forced to develop some form of hybrid learning model that combines in-person sessions with technology-mediated learning. This task is proving to be anything but easy.

The shift to emergency remote learning was a surprise that schools had to deal with very quickly, and, apparently, they managed to make it work: teachers learned to use technologies for delivering lessons, and the schedule remained on track. Of course, some schools experimented with different ways of organizing themselves throughout 2020. In general, these approaches were based on their existing experience with integrating technology into daily school life—which can go far beyond simply streaming lectures—and involved a review of teaching and assessment strategies.

Hybrid learning, on the other hand, is proving to be much more challenging for everyone, and it won’t be solved simply by training people how to use a particular technology. Regardless of the definition of “hybrid” that each school has adopted, we are seeing enormous difficulties:

If the school chose to stream in-person classes to remote students, it quickly discovered that teachers need the skills to interact simultaneously with both in-person and remote groups, that a standard microphone isn’t enough to bring the classroom experience into students’ homes, that filming the whiteboard isn’t as simple as it seems, and that other technological resources may be needed so students can follow the teachers’ visual explanations. And how can collaborative work be facilitated this way? How can assessments be conducted? How can we track everyone’s attendance and record it?

If the school has chosen to combine synchronous and asynchronous activities—which has always been the recommendation for hybrid learning, even before the pandemic—the questions once again are: How should students be organized? Which activities are most relevant for them to complete at their own pace? Where are the digital resources to support teachers? Who prepares the remote learning activities? Who is responsible for the overall lesson planning? How can we make the most of in-person time? How can we keep all students engaged? How can we give special attention to those who need it most? How can we ensure accessibility?

These questions should be part of any teaching and learning process, but they take us out of our routine, away from established methods, habits, or our so-called “comfort zone.” Just as was the case during the emergency remote learning phase, there are schools that were already addressing these issues even before the pandemic, that will put their experience to the test during these complex times, and that will continue to seek new ways of working once students’ attendance at schools returns to normal. What these schools are doing is innovation.

Hybrid learning is, by definition, innovative: It is essential to have a clear understanding of students’ learning objectives, the challenges that need to be addressed, and the technological possibilities available to the entire school community. Based on this, solutions are developed that combine in-person and technology-based sessions, always keeping in mind that there is a single, unified plan, that in-person activities are just as important as those mediated by technology—and that teachers must monitor students’ progress across all formats simultaneously.

It's not easy. But it can yield surprising results that far exceed the approaches each school was already accustomed to.

Innovation is something that a manager or teacher cannot achieve alone: it is important to work collaboratively, develop the perspective needed to understand the challenges facing your community as broadly as possible, learn about solutions that have worked in other contexts, and create solutions tailored to your own context. We must draw inspiration from others, but we cannot simply replicate their approaches. We must experiment and be willing to make mistakes and correct them.

Schools that innovate and create their own versions of hybrid learning will certainly emerge stronger from this difficult time we are all going through.

To find inspiration, it’s worth creating groups for sharing experiences with teachers from different grade levels, different subject areas, different schools, or even different countries. Research is essential—both in terms of theoretical concepts and the exchange of practical experiences! Search your social media for the most inspiring groups, and create your own. Read, listen, and collaborate with your peers whenever you can. In this way, ideas for overcoming your challenges will emerge and become increasingly refined and relevant.

It is precisely to help teachers and administrators during this difficult time that I became an Ambassador for the Education of the Future Community – www.educacaodofuturo.com.br. Stop by to read, listen, and contribute! There, you can visit groups such as TEO—Online Educational Technologies, Active Methodologies, Immersive Learning, Visible Learning, Meditation, and Basic Education Management, among many others.  Participating in this exchange will certainly bear much fruit in developing a more innovative education focused on solving the challenges we’ll face now and in the future, across the widest range of aspects of formal education and continuing education!

To innovate, you need to share experiences frequently. Surround yourself with people who can inspire you—and inspire them, too!

 

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