Higher education goes hybrid

Online teaching has become a core component of educational programmes. In a hybrid world, academics must deliver effective blended teaching that engages with students in the classroom, as well as those learning via a screen. This collection offers advice on how to successfully manage hybrid instruction.

Young black student in headphones at laptop

Tips for successful asynchronous teaching: creating engaging content, part one

Despite its flexibility and ability to reach across distance and time zones, asynchronous teaching is still seen as subpar when compared with in-person or even synchronous online courses. However, done well, it offers surprising advantages, as Figen Mekik explains

Figen Mekik

Grand Valley State University

Asian woman drinking coffee at laptop

Tips for successful asynchronous teaching: supporting students, part two

As the most remote form of teaching, asynchronous courses require well-managed communication so students stay on-board and engaged – and understand all the requirements

Figen Mekik

Grand Valley State University

A teacher giving a PowerPoint presentation

Say goodbye to boring presentations

GenAI can supercharge your PowerPoint presentations to offer students interactive opportunities that increase participation and deepen learning. Here’s how

Chaonan Xu

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

A cheerful student waves hello on a Zoom call

What’s the crucial element for interdisciplinary teamwork? Psychological safety

Foster a sense of radical openness in your interdisciplinary online learning environment by establishing psychological safety – here’s how

Helena Robinson, Fabian Held

University of Technology Sydney, University of Sydney

A webinar with multiple participants

Tips for creating and delivering effective educational webinars

Strategies that incorporate interactive elements and rules setting to help teachers design engaging webinars

Lauren Flannery

The University of East Anglia

African American student studying online

Creating flexible learning pathways for business students

Digital transformation isn’t about technology – it’s about people, writes Steve Hill. Learning experiences must fit into students’ lives rather than forcing them to fit their lives around institutions

Steve Hill

LIBF

A man takes notes as he watches an online lecture on his laptop

Tips for fostering student engagement in blended learning

Students can often feel disengaged in a blended learning environment. Here’s how to spark their curiosity and give them ownership of their learning journey

Ching Yee Pua, Kenan Kok Xiao-Feng , Oran Devilly, Shermain Puah

Singapore Institute of Technology

Small online learning group

Beyond borders: how to make online global collaborative learning work

As higher education strives to ‘reset’ in the age of AI to become more flexible, interdisciplinary, open, focused on real-world learning and with authentic assessment, curriculum-embedded OGCL is a key path to future-ready graduates

Julie Lindsay

The University of Southern Queensland

Group of four racially diverse women

Students as co-creators in online learning

Offering students paid opportunities to be involved in generating and modifying online learning content could deliver novel experiences for learners, reduce academic workload and help close the awarding gap

Dean Fido, Gary F. Fisher

University of Derby

Black female student doing online education

Blended learning is the short-term fix that turned into a long-term stay

Yes, the transition between online and in-person methods can make blended delivery challenging for students and educators alike, but keeping students engaged and sustaining their learning is worth the effort

Nisha Detchprohm

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

Students sitting on the stairs of a university campus building

Nine tips for a successful, accessible blended learning field trip

A guide to planning and implementing field trips that successfully integrate on-site and online students

Alette Willis, Alex Penland

The University of Edinburgh

Student on a laptop listening with headphones at home

Use watch parties to enhance learning and build a sense of belonging online

An educator at the University of Manchester explains how using online watch parties with live chatboxes has enhanced students’ learning in a digital environment

Jennifer Mcbride

The University of Manchester

A racing driver and his co-pilot in a simulation

Co-pilots: a new way of improving hybrid teaching for everyone

Bringing in a ‘co-pilot’ instructor to support the running of hybrid classes can improve the teaching and learning experience for students and their lecturers, write Omar Merlo and James Eteen

Omar Merlo , James Eteen

Imperial College London

Designing activities for hybrid learning can be difficult without following the correct steps

The 7 steps for designing activities in hybrid courses

When planning a hybrid course, a main concern is how to design the activities in this still relatively unfamiliar format

Laura Patricia Zepeda Orantes

Monterrey Institute of Technology

A student learning online during a hyflex class session

Classroom management strategies to enhance hyflex learning

Effective classroom management strategies that keep students engaged during hyflex courses, by Letitia Bergantz

Letitia Bergantz

Athens State University

An image depicting hybrid or hyflex learning as a blend of online and in-person teaching

Hyflex learning: what, why and how

Hyflex programmes can extend higher education to a much wider pool of students, through flexible, accessible learning. Johnny Lee explains how institutions can roll out hyflex learning so staff and students feel the benefits

Johnny Lee

Ravensbourne University London

Tips for university academics on how to transition to hybrid teaching

Ten useful tips for teaching a hybrid course for the first time

Laura Patricia Zepeda Orantes shares recommendations for delivering hybrid courses, especially for teachers who are new to this way of working

Laura Patricia Zepeda Orantes

Monterrey Institute of Technology

Applying flexibility, inclusion and empathy to your hybrid teaching model for on-campus and overseas students

Guiding principles to support students on campus and overseas through hybrid teaching

Markus Davis explains how three guiding principles of flexibility, inclusion and empathy have helped shape a hybrid teaching model that serves both on-campus and overseas students effectively

Markus Davis

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Tips on how to engage students when your class is split between those studying in-person and those learning via zoom

How to engage students when some are in the room and some are on Zoom

Flower Darby offers practical tips for keeping all students engaged when teaching a class in which some students are with you in person and others are learning remotely via a teleconferencing platform

Flower Darby

Northern Arizona University

Academic conferences need a hybrid future if inclusion is truly on organisers' agendas

Rejecting hybrid conferences as the new norm reeks of ableism

Failure to offer a virtual component for conferences makes organisers complicit in a system that excludes particular academics, says William E. Donald

William E. Donald

Ronin Institute

Advice on how to approach hybrid teaching to overcome key challenges

Three tips for a future of hybrid teaching

Brad Chan offers three tips for making hybrid learning work for all, based on his experience teaching languages

Brad Chan

Yew Chung College of Early Childhood Education

Students want feel heard, valued, seen and represented

It’s our duty to teach more inclusively − online, in person or hybrid

Students want to be seen, heard and valued, and there are many ways to include them while fostering equitable learning outcomes, says Flower Darby

Flower Darby

Northern Arizona University

Advice on developing effective HyFlex teaching for the longterm

Solving future problems today: Making HyFlex learning work for all

Trent Montgomery shares the key considerations for developing effective hybrid flexible teaching that will boost universities’ educational offering in the long term

Trent Montgomery

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Advice on creating accessible inclusive reading lists for students

How to develop inclusive reading lists for distance and blended learning

Jude Wilson offers advice on how academics can work with their university library teams to ensure course reading lists are accessible and inclusive for all students

Jude Wilson

Arden University

Delivering blended learning for students on campus and overseas

Delivering blended learning to work for all students, everywhere

Blended learning enables universities to serve students on campus and overseas with a quality education but requires careful planning and delivery, as Eddy S Fang, Ewout van der Schaft and Patricia Pieterse explain

Eddy S Fang, Ewout van der Schaft, Patricia Pieterse

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Medical training has had to adapt quickly to the shift online

How to deliver healthcare education in a hybrid world

Hannah McGee explores solutions to address the unique challenges that universities face in preparing healthcare students for frontline roles

Hannah McGee

RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences

Advice on designing higher education to make the most out of in-person teaching alongside online instruction

The future of education in the real world: five shifts to consider for building a better learning environment

Kyriaki Papageorgiou outlines shifts in higher education that should help academics in designing more effective teaching and in recognising what areas need in-person instruction and what can be done online

Kyriaki Papageorgiou

Esade

Advice on selection ed-tech tools that will improve the students' learning experience rather than distract from teaching

How to assess if online tools will enhance learning experiences

Elizabeth Ellis offers five tips for assessing and selecting digital education tools that will improve rather than distract from your teaching

Elizabeth Ellis

Arden University