“The only way to predict the future of education is to start building a new kind of education today” (Alan Kay, computer scientist)

The quote that opens this text offers a reflection on the choices to be made as we return to in-person classes, in which some students will be physically present in schools while others will be in a virtual environment, learning remotely.

There are different choices to be made, and all of them offer clues about the future we hope to build within an institution—or in education as a whole. Shall we reflect on this?

When the hybrid model consists solely of online and in-person classes

In this format, the classes held on school grounds and those taking place at home are identical. In other words, the teacher in the classroom presents the material, and students at home and at school follow the same material and, ideally, experience the same lesson, regardless of their location. This approach to combining in-person and remote learning places the teacher at the center of the process; the content being presented is the focus. The same curriculum is offered to everyone. The lesson is delivered from one to many, assuming that everyone learns at the same pace and that, by presenting content equally to all, the same outcome will be achieved. How can we interact in this format? It will be more difficult and time-consuming. In addition to connection issues—which aren’t always ideal—we may reach a point where everyone in the physical classroom listens to the lesson in silence so as not to disrupt the broadcast for those at home. Those at home try to follow the lesson, even as they emotionally cope with not being in contact with those in the classroom and not being able to interrupt the explanation. Returning to the quote that opens this text, the future we are building is one based on a past that views the teacher as the holder of knowledge to be transmitted to students who, like blank slates, will have the opportunity to receive, at the same time, the same “instruction.” In many situations, it is this type of experience that has been presented as “hybrid teaching,” with the definition based on common sense, in which “hybrid” refers solely to a blend of in-person and online learning.

 

When the hybrid model recognizes the potential of the online experience to enhance the in-person experience

In this format, online learning allows students to learn at different times and paces, focusing on the development of essential skills while offering opportunities for students to go beyond what is required. Projects deepen students’ engagement with knowledge and facilitate group collaboration, the development of critical, scientific, and creative thinking, and exposure to digital culture as a pathway to learning more and better, among other possibilities. In-person sessions, then, are opportunities for human connection—with other people—in an “offline” setting. During these moments, students can experience what they did not have the opportunity to do in the first semester: physical presence, the exchange of ideas without having to turn on their camera or “unmute” their microphone, the renewal of human relationships—all while adhering to health and safety protocols—and the development of social-emotional skills. Socratic seminars, peer-to-peer instruction, problem-solving, and inquiry-based learning, among other models, can be used during in-person sessions, in addition to fostering a collective, mediated learning process that emphasizes the development of knowledge and skills that will be essential for this year. This is the definition of “hybrid teaching” that is most closely supported by research on the implementation of blended learning, which was part of the research I conducted for my doctoral dissertation. It is an approach that views online and in-person learning as complementary, where the best of both offer opportunities for personalized learning.

 

What are the challenges facing hybrid vehicles?

Undoubtedly, this calls for a cultural shift within the school community as a whole: administrators, teachers, students, and families. There is a misconception that the same number of class hours agreed upon at the beginning of the school year must be delivered to students, regardless of the screen time overload or stress this may cause. In addition to raising awareness among families, there is the challenge of teacher training. Teachers have already reinvented themselves in the first semester, replacing one teaching method with another, and now they need to continue their learning process to adapt new models to their own expectations and needs, while also considering the expectations and needs of students and their families. It may seem to some people that relying on content delivery will make teachers’ work easier, but perhaps the stress will be even greater—not to mention the realization that the impact on learning may not be what is expected. Rethinking assessment is another challenge, as we know how much it reflects the outcomes of the learning process; and if it is not considered a fundamental element for identifying progress, we run the risk of using measures that are unrelated to the process being assessed—as if we were using kilograms to measure distances…

Institutions that have been able to demonstrate alternative approaches to engaging students with essential learning and with projects that contribute to the development of knowledge, skills, and values are helping to shape this future. Even if they are making progress in small steps, they must not revert to an essentially lecture-based model that is out of step with the vision for the future we aim to build in our schools.

 

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