Under the constraints of containment regulations and hygiene requirements, many universities rely on so-called hybrid teaching concepts in order to enable a minimum of face-to-face teaching. On this page, you will find an overview of what is meant by hybrid teaching concepts, what needs to beconsidered when implementing them, which teaching-learning scenarios are suitable for practical use, and what experiences lecturers at the University of Potsdam have already had with this form of teaching.
What are hybrid teaching concepts?
The term "hybrid teaching formats" describes teaching-learning scenarios where some students attend the course while others can participate remotely via Zoom or another conferencing technology. These concepts represent a new blend of face-to-face and digital teaching that differs from previous concepts, such as integrated learning (formerly: blended learning) or flipped or inverted classroom.
A combination of these concepts, fusing face-to-face and online participation with the option of asynchronous teaching, is called the "HyFlex" model. Here, each course date and all associated learning activities are offered in a real room on campus and synchronously online. Each course dateis also recorded so that students can also "participate" asynchronously. The course format was developed at San Francisco State University (for more details, see ELI, 2020), among others, and has since been implemented and further developed at other universities. In order to provide equal opportunities for all students, the HyFlex model represents a suitable concept to be realised. This way, students can take advantage of the benefits of teaching-learning, be it synchronously on campus, online or asynchronously. At this point, however, we would like to point out that this model is very demanding and is therefore recommended for teachers who already have experience with online teaching.
In a nutshell:
- Hybrid teaching: face-to-face and online teaching take place synchronously
- HyFlex model: face-to-face and synchronous online activities, as well as equivalent asynchronous options
More information:
Framework conditions, challenges and scenarios of hybrid teaching formats
Which framework conditions are important?
- All students can participate synchronously, be it on campus or online. If students cannot participate synchronously for various reasons, an adequate digital learning offer should be made (see HyFlex model).
- To participate synchronously, students must comply with a set of framework conditions, such asa quiet workplace, stable Internet connection, or an appropriate schedule.
- Support and assistance is usually required for the implementation of hybrid formats. If the participants on campus are meant to participate actively, two additional teachers are recommended.
- A text-based communication channel (e.g. Zoom chat) should be available for students, in case audio or video is not available.
- If students are to participate in online activities while present (collaborative editing of documents, voting, etc.), mobile devices and an adequate internet connection must be available.
The university's facilities and staff will do their best to support you in implementing your desired scenarios. However, please keep in mind that even then the scope of possible support will be limited– especially in the case of events that take place in paralell.
Challenges and alternatives of hybrid teaching formats
Equal opportunities
- As far as it is possible, balancing unequal situations so that students can learn online, on campus and asynchronously under similar conditions
Additional effort
- Teaching in both modes and adjusting course scheduling accordingly
- Moderating interaction between both modes
- Simultaneous supervising of on campus and digital group work
Technical know-how and equipment
- Providing, setting up and using the necessary technology
- Ensuring a stable wifi connection with larger groups, simultaneous transmission or online participation
Alternatives to hybrid formats
Hybrid formats are costly and should only be used if no simpler alternatives are possible:
- Lectures can be recorded, while debriefings and Q&A sessions can be enabled separately in a video conference or on campus
- Time on campus can be used for subgroups, if necessary. Integrated scenarios or blended learning can also be carried out with subgroups.
Teaching-learning scenarios in hybrid teaching format
To get an overview of how you can implement hybrid teaching-learning scenarios, please consult our list of selected possibilities below. In addition, you will find set-up plans that show you which technical requirements need to be considered when planning and implementing hybrid teaching formats.
A speaker holds a lecture, usually with a presentation and if necessary supplemented by blackboard notes, illustrative objects and the like. Typically, there is the opportunity for questions and comments from the audience after the lecture.
How can it be implemented in the hybrid format?
- The presentation, as well as the speaker's sound and image are transmitted into the room and simultaneously into a video conference (e.g. Zoom.UP).
- Online participants can pose question via chat, which is moderated by an assistant. If necessary, the contribution or question is repeated verbally in the room.
- Optionally, online participants can make oral contributions via video conference; these are transmitted with sound and images in the room (e.g. in Zoom).
- Blackboard notes or illustrative objects can be made visible to all with the help of a second camera. For written notes, this can be enabled with a tablet, screen sharing or a visualization tool.
Enhancement option: students have a mobile device available on campus (notebook, tablet, cell phone)
- Possible for smaller groups
- Shared notes, annotations or visualizations.
- Polls and quizzes (suitable for cell phones).
Possibilities for HyFlex enhancement
- Recording lectures directly in Zoom and making them available for selected groups through a video sharing platform
- Recordings of participants are only allowed with explicit, documented consent.
What are the requirements?
- Image and sound equipment for direct transmission and, if necessary, for recordings
- Equipment for presenting in the lecture halls or seminar rooms
- High-performing notebook for presentation software and video conferencing software
- Teaching assistance(s) for moderating the video conference content and, if necessary, technical support
- Two notebooks, if possible: one for moderation and one for checking the participants' videos
In the group discussion, all participants should have the opportunity to contribute spontaneously, for example by reacting to the contributions of previous speakers. All speakers should be able to be heard and seen by all participants.
How can this be implemented in a hybrid format?
- The video conference’s sound and image is transmitted to the lecture hall or seminar room
- Contributions of the people on campus are also transmitted into the video conference (room camera, room microphone)
- On-site contributions can also be made available to online participants via chat or in the shared document
Extension option: students have a mobile device available on-site (notebook, tablet, cell phone)
- Shared notes, annotation or visualizations are possible
- The participants on campus can dial into the video conference individually, if there are few participants and sufficient bandwidth
- High commitment and attention is required to ensure microphone and loudspeaker are activated only when needed
Possibilities for the HyFlex extension
- Recording group discussions in hybrid format is costly: The on-site camera and microphones mustrecord at a high quality, and the recordings from the room and video conference must be merged and post-processed
- Recordings of participants are only allowed with explicit, documented consent
What is needed for this?
- Recording equipment for image and sound for direct transmission and, if necessary, taping
- On-site loudspeakers and presentation equipment for transmitting online participants
- A powerful notebook with video conferencing software
- Assistant(s) for supporting and moderating the content of the room and video conference and, if necessary, technical assistance
- Students work synchronously in subgroups to solve tasks and present their group work results. Depending on the task, work groups can collaborate ad hoc for a short period of time or on complexissues over a longer period of time.
How can it be implemented in a hybrid format?
- It may be appropriate to have on-site and online participants work together and present their results together in a later hybrid lecture or group discussion format
- Various group work options such as pair work, group puzzle, or class discussion (fishbowl format)can be conducted
Extension option: students have a mobile device available on-site (notebook, tablet, cell phone)
- Shared notes, annotation or visualizations are possible
- The presence participants can dial into the video conference individually, if there are few participants and sufficient bandwidth
Possibilities for the HyFlex extension
- The possibilities for recording group work are rather costly and time-consuming (recording, post-processing, legal issues) and should only be provided in exceptional cases
- There is a wide variety of possible media formats for presenting group work results, which can be made directly available after completion.
- More complex tasks can be further processed in asynchronous work phases in the groups
What is needed for this?
- Recording equipment for image and sound for direct transmission in a video conference
- On-site loudspeakers and presentation equipment for transmission to online participants
- A powerful notebook with video conferencing software
- Assistant(s) for supporting and moderating the content of the room and video conference and, if necessary, technical assistance
At a glance: Structure plans for hybrid teaching formats
Field reports from the University of Potsdam
In recent semesters, teachers have repeatedly reported on successfully implemented hybrid events. Ideas range from synchronous combinations of face-to-face and digital teaching to hybrid, digital teaching formats, where students from different countries come together. In the following section, we will present to you three selected practical examples, which serve as a first insight into practical hybrid teaching formats.
"The course organized by jura.plus took place at Griebnitzsee in H03 with 22 students on site. At the same time, 29 students were connected via zoom and the event was recorded. Additionally, we used the lecture hall microphone including loudspeakers and a clip-on wireless microphone, as well as an external webcam on a tripod (note: the selection of technical equipment has since expanded inmany lecture rooms).
The participation of the Zoom participants took place exclusively via chat, which was moderated by an additional person. Here, the students sent their questions, which were passed on to the lecturer, who in turn answered them verbally. The on-site students were neither visually nor acoustically recorded. Questions and answers from the present participants were brieflyrepeated by the lecturer, so that its content was also captured in the recording and transmission.
There was a lot of very positive feedback. The only real problem was that half an hour before the end of the six-hour event, the batteries of the radio microphone were completely empty, so that the laptop microphone had to be used. Unfortunately, the sound was very reverberative, but you could still understand what was said.
(Anja van Bernum, former e-learning coordinator of the Faculty of Law, 28.08.2020)
Dr. Katja Heeschen from the Department of Geochemistry at the Geo Research Centre Potsdam (GFZ) teaches at the Universities of Potsdam and Uppsala/Sweden. Frequently, she considered how students from both universities could come together and to realize this, she designed an online seminar.
After a warm-up phase, where each possible technical problem of individual participants was resolved and an online survey was conducted, two expert lectures – one at each location – were broadcast. Afterwards, mixed student groups discussed a selected set of questions and presented their results to the plenum. What would have been comparatively easy to realize on campus required a differentiated strategy in virtual space, good moderation and leadership and last but not least a functioning technical infrastructure, also including on-site premises and the necessary hardware.
Katja Heeschen sums up what is needed for such an event and how she assesses its success: "A well-defined goal, good planning and preparation in collaboration with the students, and a good time buffer. The effort was worth it in any case, as I have also used the format on a smaller scale again, which was met with a great deal of encouragement from the students."
Read a detailed account of Katja Heeschen's experiences and her recommendations for colleagues in the Interview with the UP2date editorial team (2016).
Dr. Ulaş Şener, Julia Strutz, Prof. Dr. Christoph Schröder presented an example of a hybrid setting at the E-Learning Practice Day 2019. The Off-University is committed to offering politically persecuted scholars the opportunity to participate in academic discourse and to continue sharing their expertise with students and interested parties. Often times, this expertise is considered dangerous and undesirable in increasingly authoritarian contexts. To this end, Off-University collaborates with various universities.
"The face-to-face event is aimed at students at the University of Potsdam and is subject to the content requirements of the master's module. At the same time, the event is recorded via video and made available on the platform www.off-university.de for external students and interested parties (from Turkey in this case). While the foreign scholar involved communicates with the students in the seminar room via livestream, the UP lecturer is present in person. In addition to UP students, external students participate in the event through the platform; they can either take part synchronously in the event or watch it at a later time. Event-related activities are fulfilled by both 'internal' and 'external' students. For external students, this means handing in transcripts digitally or taking part in an online examination discussion.
For more detailed information, click here: https://www.uni-potsdam.de/de/zfq/lehre-und-medien/e-learning-tag-2019/off-university
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Handouts and further literature
Below you can find current handouts and articles on the topic of "hybrid teaching formats". These give even greater insight and serve as an opportunity to delve deeper into the topic. In addition, the two handouts "Hybrid Teaching Concepts" and "HyFlex Models" can be used as an cheat sheet for planning and implementing your courses.
E-Learning coordinators of the faculties
The following people are particularly familiar with the topic of "hybrid teaching formats":
Mathias Loboda (Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences)
Marc Beilcke (Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences)
Philipp Nern (Faculty of Human Sciences)
Jenissa Terzic (Faculty of Law)
Jakob Arlt (Faculty of Humanities)
You can reach all e-learning coordinators via the e-mail address elearning-kosuuni-potsdampde.
Center for Information Technology and Media Management (ZIM)
ZIM Service (Questions about technical realization)
The Department of Teaching and Media of the Center for Quality Development in Teaching and Learning (ZfQ)
Marlen Schumann (didactical questions)
Peter Kiep (didactical questions)
