This page will not be discussing courses with classroom teaching only, nor purely digital formats.

We primarily define "hybrid" courses as courses which combine purely digital offers with individual classroom dates. This definition already applies to many courses regularly taking place at the moment. Against the backdrop of current circumstances and the resulting uncertain outlook, the aim is a course concept which can be individualized and tailored to specific situations.
Therefore, hybrid learning-teaching formats do not necessarily follow a regular semester’s pace or any equivalent (such as block courses). Instead, hybrid courses are characterized by their ability to vary greatly in their set time, location, or content, depending on the situation. The courses focus more on achieving the teaching and learning goals, rather than on the form the information is presented in. The structure of hybrid teaching-learning formats in this sense allows teaching staff to, for the first time, expand purely digital content by offering interactions taking place at the same time (also in the form of classroom teaching), while allowing students to successfully participate purely online, as well.

In order to provide high-quality access as simply as possible under various conditions, the suggestions from the summer semester 2020 remain valid:

• Favor asynchronous types of communication, as synchronous types of transmission require more effort and are more likely to experience problems.
• Text rather than audio, audio rather than video.
• Collect channels of information and news on one platform, if possible.
• Use recommended platforms in order to guarantee data security and allow quicker orientation for students.
• Make your course offer accessible, so all of the students can make use of it.

Four sample approaches can be outlined. They cannot be clearly separated from each other, but rather serve to illustrate the individual organizational possibilities. In every case, it is vitally important that it is possible to take part in the course purely digitally, for students who are part of a risk group, for example.

Type A: Minimal presence, maximum synchrony
Sample scenario: The course participants are separated into several learning groups (A, B, ..., n) which take individual units/exercises in the classroom while observing hygiene regulations (s.a. dissection workshops for medical students). At the same time, the course is streamed live using a conference application. Online students can take part via chat or microphone.
Recordings and later usage of recordings are not anticipated. The clear transmission of picture and sound must be guaranteed.

Type B: Maximum presence, maximum synchrony
Sample scenario: The course participants are separated into two equal learning groups (A + B). Group A is physically present in even weeks, while group B participates digitally. In the odd weeks, the groups switch. The students online participate via chat or microphone, those belonging to a risk group always take part online.
Recordings and later usage of recordings are not anticipated. The clear transmission of picture and sound must be guaranteed.

Type C: Minimum presence, maximum asynchrony
Sample scenario: The course participants are separated into several learning groups (A, B, ..., n) which, if necessary, are able to come in for advising sessions in person, allowing for individualized learning support. The resulting questions, suggestions, and ideas are made available to the other students through JGU’s LMS or another application. This can either be done by the teaching staff or by students, who submit a log of events or results as an assignment, for example.

Type D: Maximum presence, maximum asynchrony
Sample scenario: The course participants are separated into several learning groups (A, B, ..., n) which take individual units/exercises in the classroom while observing hygiene regulations (s.a. dissection workshops for medical students). The material resulting from the learning groups (videos, etc.) is used by the other learning groups for preparation or follow-up.

Any number of variations and gradients can be found between these types, depending on group selection and change and scope of digital offer, classroom dates, or synchronous off-campus formats, etc.

Reflecting upon teaching and learning goals, the type of examination and the choice of tasks leading up to it, as well as input from one’s own lectures, texts, videos, or other media make a successful hybrid learning arrangement possible for all of the participants. At its core, this is no different from regular teaching. Here are a few concrete tips to make sure all of the students remain involved throughout the semester:

• Make sure all of the participants receive the same information. Students can also create event logs which can be uploaded to the LMS for everyone.
• Offer online office hours, too. It is likely that you will have students taking part in your courses who cannot appear in person due to various reasons.
• Guide/encourage exchanges and discussion among the students through forums, peer office hours, virtual cafés, etc. These can be moderated by student assistants.
• Make sure online participants can participate just as much, through the use of a room microphone, by repeating questions, or writing down answers, for example.
• Include a co-moderator who keeps an eye on notifications from students.
• Explain your organization to the students. If the participants can estimate what’s coming toward them in terms of method and organization, they can prepare themselves better for the course content.

F: What should I use? Moodle? Panopto? BigBlueButton?

A: We will turn the question around here: You already know your course goals, the type of examination, material, and (perhaps) individual tasks. These are the basis for the choice of technology.

F: How can I encourage my students to discuss among themselves?

A: There are several possible approaches. Here are a few:

• Group speakers instead of individual office hours – support recommended group tasks
• Integrate obligatory tasks requiring communication among students into the course, such as peer feedback, pro and con discussions (in synchronous meetings or in a forum), collaborative text creation (in blogs or wikis), role-playing games
• For group projects, assign proper group tasks, meaning tasks which qualitatively exceed the individual students’ work capacity and can only be successfully tackled as a team.
• Define group goals and individual responsibilities together with the students (s.a. roles within the group – leadership, time management, editing, etc.)

F: I understand that it’s important to involve the students who cannot be physically present. How can I offer the course online at the same time?

A: Converting classroom courses to digital and then to hybrid courses naturally influences teaching and interaction. Therefore, especially interactive activities must be adapted. How can discussions between students who are either digitally or physically present be moderated? How can group work function (at a proper distance – in the room or via computer)?
A type C scenario might work better if you want to involve the students in person – in advising sessions, rather than during the standard course.

F: We work almost exclusively at the black/whiteboard – how can I implement that online?

A: One technological option – apart from the LARA rooms – is the use of a cellphone, which transmits through the open conference application. Test it ahead of time in order to make sure the resolution is high enough to read the writing.
A type C scenario might work better if you want to involve the students in person – in advising sessions, rather than during the standard course.

F: What’s the connection to “blended learning”?

A: The term “blended learning” refers to different teaching/learning scenarios combining online and face-to-face teaching to varying degrees.
The most common definition views blended learning as the combination of classroom teaching (physical presence) and online learning. Originally, there was no precise theoretical concept/no specific teaching-learning concept at the core of blended learning. For several years, in literature and especially in Prof. Michael Kerres’ writing (s.a. Kerres 2002), the term “hybrid” has been used to mean the same thing as blended learning.
The current definition of “hybrid“ has been assigned special meaning and now also described teaching/learning scenarios in which a course can be offered for a group of students in the classroom and online for another group of students at the same time, which is new and remarkable for JGU. In these scenarios, too, classroom teaching (physical presence) and online components are combined. Therefore, hybrid teaching/learning scenarios are a special form of blended learning.