Evolving, Adapting, Improving: Hybrid Classrooms Connect Learners Near and Far

A chemistry experiment spans the globe, with one lab partner in the Schoolhouse guiding the other partner in Saudi Arabia. In Gammons Recital Hall, members of Groton’s orchestra play stringed and percussion instruments, while four other musicians, visible on screen, play along from home.

With several weeks of hybrid learning complete, teachers and students are adapting to classes that serve those who sit in Schoolhouse classrooms and those who join remotely, sometimes from distant regions and time zones.

The system, which is constantly evolving, depends on numerous technological changes installed during the summer as well as adaptable faculty members who, as Headmaster Temba Maqubela has pointed out, embraced what has amounted to an intense period of professional development.

This professional development was hands-on, not the kind learned at a conference or seminar. Academic Dean Kathy Leggat summed up the challenge: “How do you make material accessible to both those in the room and those joining from afar?”

Faculty have learned new techniques, adopted new technology, and in some cases dramatically revised their approach to the classroom. That, it turns out, can be a good thing. “I think we’re all going to be better teachers,” said Ms. Leggat, “because we have had to rethink what we do.”

The lessons learned now are likely to endure post-pandemic. “I’m learning to incorporate far more technology into the classroom, which I think will remain in my classroom whenever we return to ‘normal,’” said science teacher Ali Hamlin. For example, while she has always posted resources on the school website’s learning management system, she is paying far closer attention to what she puts online. “Now I’ve realized that our digital space is an extension of the classroom, and it deserves the same care and thought that I put into my daily class planning,” Ms. Hamlin said. The faculty’s consistent use of that digital space—for posting class information, assignments, and even welcome videos—has benefited hybrid learning.

"Remote learning last spring opened up new ideas about disseminating information and engaging students," said English teacher Vuyelwa Maqubela, who has discovered how sharing videos and ideas online enhances the classroom. "From posting mini-lessons recorded on Screencastify to supplement what we do in the classroom, to using Padlet for students to share ideas and personal stories, the experience has been satisfying and enriching professional development work," Mrs. Maqubela said. "The IT folks are readily available anytime I'm stuck, and in some cases, the students themselves come to the rescue."

The hybrid classroom at Groton, said Chief Technology Officer Elizabeth Preston, was built upon the principles of consistency, equity, and community. “We recognized the importance of this community coming together, having relationships and connections,” said Ms. Preston.

Classrooms already had technology that allowed teachers to share content electronically, but another display was added to bring remote learners visibly into the group. Because remote learners could not see the classroom’s whiteboard, each teacher also received an iPad, allowing them to annotate and present lessons to remote learners within Zoom. Cameras were installed as well, allowing remote learners to see their classmates and teacher. So were microphones, which have presented some acoustical challenges, said Ms. Preston, due in part to the large, high-ceilinged classrooms. Many classes have moved from smaller rooms—for example, some English classes are now in science labs or art studios—to allow for social distancing.

Perhaps the biggest changes were not in the new spaces or equipment, but in mindset. Last spring, when classes were remote for all, some teachers attempted to recreate a physical classroom online, said Ms. Preston. “We are trying to give faculty the support to be able to look at teaching and learning not through a structured bricks-and-mortar view—to be more flexible in how students engage in classroom activities, whether they are attending synchronously or asynchronously.”

The way remote and in-person students are connecting can be inspiring. Ms. Hamlin described a recent chemistry class in which a pair of lab partners, one in the classroom and one studying remotely, worked effectively together. “The in-class student had the chance to guide the remote student through the experiment, showing her each step and what she was doing in the classroom,” she said. “It’s been fun to see kids in the classroom take ownership of sharing these moments with their remote classmates.”

Math and Environmental Science teacher Michaella Chung described the challenges of integrating remote learners as well as a gratifying quest to meet those challenges. “It has been pretty exciting to learn about and try out the different platforms that support hybrid classrooms,” said Dr. Chung, “and my hope is that by steering more of my class conversations to Zoom breakout rooms or asynchronous discussion boards, I can encourage students to continue to collaborate with their peers, despite their time zones.”

Veteran history teacher John Lyons has adapted to the hybrid classroom by moving around less than he normally would, planting himself close to the camera and microphone. He remembers not to point at maps or other things that remote students can't see, and he offers remote students a weekly review session to clear up any confusion or to offer help if they missed a class.

Like many who are bridging the geographical divide, Classics teacher Amy Martin-Nelson marveled at the dedication of students tuning in to classes from across the globe. "I am so impressed with their attitude, diligence, and drive to work and be a part of the school," she said.

Most learning at Groton continues to be synchronous—meaning that it happens for all students at once—regardless of the students’ location, but some West Coast students are attending a few classes asynchronously to avoid a pre-dawn start, and many in Asia are doing the same to avoid classes in the wee hours. Teachers have adopted creative approaches for these students, such as recording classes, posting class notes, and using collaborative note-taking.

Hybrid learning has many teachers revising their view on assessments, too. The importance of synthesizing and analyzing, rather than memorizing, information has always been stressed, but that need is more acute when students are online. “It has called into question what we expect them to know,” said Ms. Leggat. “Those aren’t new questions but you don’t have the luxury of debating them and pondering them right now. You have to figure it out.”

All of Groton’s faculty taught fully remote classes last spring due to the pandemic, and many spent significant time over the summer preparing to tackle the new hybrid model. Some have found the new technology challenging, and some faced technical glitches. “While there are still occasional hiccups with the technology,” said Ms. Hamlin, “sometimes I stop and remind myself that here’s a student on the screen who’s on the other side of the planet, who can be learning with us here in the classroom in Groton, and that’s just cool.”

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