LANGUAGE TEACHING ORGANIZATIONS Survey on Hybrid Learning
The recent survey on Hybrid Learning adopted by some Language Teaching Organizations (LTOs) shows that there is still not one best single solution as a response to adaptation to the current situation.
The survey has been conducted to reflect on what has worked for LTOs, what has not been successful and additionally, to share the knowledge and experience with others in the educational sector.
There were 154 responses to the online survey from LTOs in 31 countries, distributed through the social media and contact networks of the four coordinating authors and their institutions – Sophia Mavridi from de Montford University, Thom Kiddle from NILE, Chris Farrell from CES group, and John Glew-O’Leary from IH Manchester.
Hybrid Learning combines face-to-face and online learning where each lesson is offered simultaneously in-person and online and as one of the authors of the report of the survey. It has been around for several years, but mostly in higher education and linked to a desire to give access to content – more transmission-style teaching – and including asynchronous access too.
The survey looks at the responses by LTOs from which just under 40% of respondents have been already running hybrid lessons, 24% are considering running hybrid learning courses in the near future, 21% are considering the possibility of applying Hybrid Learning at some point in the future, 11% have not considered running Hybrid Learning courses as an option and 4% have decided not to engage with Hybrid Learning.
The institutions which have been running the hybrid lessons were further asked questions related to their experience. Overall, none of them followed an established set approach, but all of them invested in various technology and utilised Zoom, MS and Google applications, Quizlet, Padlet and other.
Over the months these institutions might have changed use of the technology to eliminate any sound and connection problems resulting in additional tech support to students and teachers. It emerged from the survey the importance of the training and support to teachers that have been reported by many of the respondents as the teachers had to very quickly adapt the lessons to online and face-to-face students and keep both of them engaged. The financial aspect and classroom logistics have become a concern for this group of respondents.
The respondents who are considering running hybrid learning courses in the near future, and are considering the possibility of applying Hybrid Learning at some point in the future are mostly looking at expectations, concerns in the areas of technology and teacher training, cost and provision and support to students online.
The respondents who do not want to implement this method are hesitant or refuse it due to financial reasons, seeing this method as a temporary solution and not having enough examples of hybrid learning and information from other schools and their experience in order to consider pros and cons of the method.
The report of the survey is very detailed and provides great insight into the challenges of hybrid learning that LTOs have had to deal with. Sharing this amongst the LTOs can improve the learning experience for students and, at the same time, to enable the management to approach better the situations with regards to training and support for teachers.