Concurrent Hybrid

Concurrent Hybrid Model

The class is delivered with unique content each class session. However, there are different subgroups of students face-to-face in each session. The students not in the class are expected to be synchronously connected and, therefore, cover the same content at the same time.

Class meets 3 times per Week

Class meets 2 times per Week

General Considerations

• Managing a concurrent hybrid classroom is more time consuming than a completely in-person classroom. Know that if your goal is to have robust conversations with and among students, the amount of material you will be able to cover will be less. Anticipate covering about 80-90% of the materials you traditionally have planned for class sessions. Be prepared to cover more if the class sessions are going well and you find yourself needing additional content to cover.
• Class startup time will take longer. Do not expect your class to get started right on time. Build in a 3-5 minute window at the beginning of class for students to settle in.
• Zoom is the best platform for creating two-way engagement with online students.
• There are limited upsides to having all of your in-person students log into Zoom/Webex to engage with the online students during class time. The in-person students will need to keep their microphones muted and their speakers off. Once they turn them on, feedback and echoing will be inevitable. In-person students will be limited to communicating with remote students through chat or through the room's main microphone and speakers.
• Faculty might find themselves having to repeat in-person questions in order for online students to hear.
• Use Canvas to create as much clarity as possible around class expectations and assignments. Faculty will want to minimize the management time of learning for students.
• Free -lowing conversations will give way to more moderated conversations.

Pre-Class Preparation

More so than with any other modality, concurrent hybrid requires a great deal of pre-class preparation. The goal will be to ensure students do not experience an inequity of attention. Naturally the students in front of you, in the classroom, will draw your attention to the detriment of the online students.

• Know that your approach to teaching does not have to drastically change with moving your course from in-person to hybrid.
• Visit Step 3: Learning Strategies on the Learning Together website. There you will find guidance on how to think about structuring your course content for a concurrent hybrid format. 
• On the Learning Together site you will find three worksheets that will be very helpful as you plan your concurrent hybrid course.
  1. Chunking Learning Activities Worksheet: Helps think about student work/interactions in a pre-class, in-class and post-class format. 
  2. Calculating Learning Time Worksheet: Think about students work in terms of total learning time vs in-class and out-of-class work. It will help clarify it faculty are covering enough content.
  3. Live Class Session Production Sheet: Stay organized during class. Using this production sheet will keep the class on track.
• Explore using Template D in Canvas. It is best structured for organizing course materials for hybrid classes. To utilize Template D, please follow these steps.
1. Refer to the course schedule document to distinguish face-to-face and online instructional activities.
2. The Modules section contains pre-made Canvas course pages that can be used to identify and describe face-to-face and online activities, resources, and general expectations. 
3. Login to Canvas at canvas.baylor.edu. 
4. From the main global menu on the left, click on Commons. 
5. Type in Template D 
6. Select the option for Template D: Face-2-Face & Blended Environments. 
7. On the right, select the Import/Download option. 
8. In the pop-up panel, place a check mark next to the course you want to copy the template over to and select Import into Course. 
• Select Zoom and preschedule all class sessions through the Zoom Canvas interface. Visit the Zoom resource page to find Canvas guidance. Note: Zoom has a simple interface that allows you to easily share your screen, move into breakout rooms, and monitor chat questions.
• Visit your assigned classroom to become familiar with the technology. Consider running a practice Zoom session with a colleague or family member. 
• Utilize the Canvas discussion forum to round out your student engagement plan. The discussion forums provide students with a place to build voice and ask questions. This will be even more important in this form of hybrid learning. (Provide link) 
• Prepare a daily class schedule and provide it to students ahead of time. Consider adding the schedule to your PPT slides. 
• If you will be facilitating group discussions, consider setting up Zoom breakout rooms prior to class. (Provide link) Note: breakout rooms will only be utilized for online students. Due to feedback issues, in-person students will not be able to participate in breakout rooms with online students. 

In-Class Teaching/Moderation

The faculty challenge will be to ensure online students feel as connected to the class discussions as the in-person students. Keep in mind the three C’s as you walk into the classroom: Clarity, Consistency, and Connectedness. The 3 C’s are equally important to the layout and design of our Canvas course site as they are to our live in-person teaching. 

• Always begin by testing your Zoom audio and video. Ensure online students can hear and see you. If you have a positive test at the beginning of class, any audio issues students are experiencing will be on their end. 
• Ensure that all Zoom sessions are being recorded in case technical problems occur.  Recording sessions allows both in-class and online students to refer back to class presentations outside normal class meeting times. 
• Create a schedule and have in-class students rotate moderating the online chat. Consider assigning a small portion of participation points for this activity. Note: The assigned student will need to be logged into Zoom. 
• Every 10 minutes, make sure you are engaging with the online students. Provide them time to share their thoughts regarding the day’s topic. Note: Consider creating a short knowledge check quiz in Canvas to ensure all students are prepared for class. Online students will find it easier not to participate. 
• At the end of each class session and before you close Zoom, save the chat log. Take time after class to review the questions posted in chat, follow up on questions that were not addressed during class. Note: Consider turning the unanswered questions into an asynchronous discussion using the Canvas Discussion Forums. 
• End class by having students complete an exit slip. Exit slips can be completed online or on paper.

Post-Class Follow-up

Sustained engagement between faculty and students is critical in hybrid and online teaching. You will have less in-person face time with your students, so you need to utilize alternative strategies for ensuring students are staying on track.

• Make online discussions part of your graded assignments. As mentioned earlier, use the saved chat logs as a source for unanswered questions. Select the one or two most salient questions and post them to the Canvas discussion forums for class discussion.
• Utilize the Announcements tool in Canvas. Post reminders, links to relevant news articles, and simple guidance to ensure you are saying connected with the students. Note: These can be predeveloped and set to release on specific days.
• Provide timely feedback.