Plan hybrid-concurrent activities

At a glance

Plan and manage hybrid-concurrent sessions, where online and face-to-face students take part in the same activity at the same time. Explore recommendations for grouping students, managing audio and technology, and adapting teaching activities across easy, medium and hard levels of complexity.

This guide is focussed on suggestions for how to plan and manage Hybrid - Concurrent sessions, where the same learning activities are conducted together.

While it is desirable to have on campus and online students join together in activities, there are technology limitations and potential audio issues and disturbances that may occur. For this reason, avoid mixing online and face-to-face students in synchronous group activity. It could hamper the student experience and make it challenging to communicate and discuss ideas as a group. All communication would need to be written to avoid audio feedback and to include online groups.

We recommend grouping online students together and those face-to-face together. If this is not possible, we recommend using either a Hybrid - Parallel or a Hybrid - Adaptive schedule for the unit.

For more information and recommendations on these models, see Teach in different hybrid models.

Hybrid teaching relies on the technology in the teaching space, for more information view the Hybrid room technology guide.

Teaching activities and their suitability for hybrid concurrent teaching

Below we present ideas for how you would implement a range of teaching activities in a Hybrid concurrent model.

These activities and recommendations are based on a Hybrid teaching room that has a presenter camera with web conferencing and/or Zoom enabled.
These activities also assume that you (the lecturer) would login to the in-venue PC with your own account details so that you can access Zoom with host functions such as breakout rooms and polling. When you leave the classroom, make sure to log off.
Students are also expected to bring a laptop or mobile device and headphones to in person sessions.

These activities have been separated into three levels of difficulty based on technology and management of different components. It should be noted that group activities will require the most modification.

Easy - requires few modifications or considerations

'Transmissive' lecture (one-way presentation for students)
Considerations	Recommendations
Can you pre-record the transmissive lecture? Delivering a one way transmissive lecture is not an ideal use of synchronous time.	Make a video recording of your lecture and share it on Moodle. If you can’t make a recording see the Interactive lecture section.
Technology: Record using Zoom, Panopto or other video recording applications

On-screen demonstrations
Considerations	Recommendations
Can both online and face-to-face students see your on-screen demonstration?	Press share your screen in Zoom and project this screen on the TV for face-to-face students.
Should you use the in-venue PC for the demonstration?	The in-venue PC is great for managing the Zoom host functionalities and room projections. However, not all rooms are equipped with a pen annotation feature so make sure you have access to this to help with any written or annotated demonstrations. Otherwise you will need to use the mouse.
Will you be using your own laptop?	To use your laptop, plug in both the HDMI and USB cables in the room and select project from this device for in person students.
How can you get a second camera to show details of the demonstration?	Use your mobile phone or tablet as a secondary camera for showing a physical demonstration in more detail.You must also mute the microphone on the device to avoid echo or audio issues.
Do you have audio in your demonstration?	If you have audio from your computer such as a video, turn on share computer sound in Zoom and ensure the in-venue audio is turned on so both online and in-class students can hear.
Technology: Zoom, in-venue PC, Laptop (HDMI and USB), tablet, mobile phone

Polling
Considerations	Recommendations
Which device will in-person students use to answer the polling question?	Inform in-person students to bring a laptop to the classroom in order to access the poll links.
Where will you share the link for the poll?	Provide the same polling links to both online and in-person audiences either via a link in the chat or have the link address visible on a slide.
How will you share the polling results?	Show the polling results on the main screen to share with everyone. Make sure your screen sharing is also on in Zoom.
Technology: Zoom poll, FLUX and Poll Everywhere

Quizzing (formative activity)
Considerations	Recommendations
How can both cohorts access a quiz?	Find online quiz tools that can be shared with both online and in-class students, such as Moodle Quiz, Kahoot, or other quizzing applications. Avoid paper based quizzes.
How will students access the quiz?	Inform in-person students to bring a laptop to the classroom. A mobile device is not suited for Moodle Quizzes.
Is the quiz done individually or as a group?	It is easier if this activity is done individually. Limit group quizzing as it can be difficult to manage who will respond on which device, especially with physical distancing.
Technology: Kahoot, Moodle Quiz, FLUX and Poll Everywhere

Medium - requires some modifications or considerations

Interactive lecture
Considerations	Recommendations
How will students ask questions?	Ask both the in-class and online students to post questions in the chat and respond to these in-class or in the chat. Use a moderator to monitor the chat of the online cohort and let the online cohort know when their questions will be answered.
How many mics do you have in the room and can they be passed around safely during COVID?	Check your room equipment for a handheld microphone. If you are using a handheld microphone, make sure you have a Covid-safe way to pass these around and sanitise between use. If possible, have one person hold the microphone at a safe distance while the face-to-face student asks a question and have that one person carry it to the next student. This will reduce the number of people handling and having to sanitise the microphone.
Will all students need to be logged into the Zoom session to see the chat?	In order to add questions to the chat, it is recommended that all students login to the Zoom link and use the chat to ask questions. This will cohere the group and not advantage those physically present. Ask all to mute their microphones.
Technology: Zoom chat function, handheld microphone

Panel discussion
Considerations	Recommendations
Are all the panel members in the same room?	If panel members are all present in person, provide each person with a separate microphone. Use a digital solution for questions - eg use the Chat function in Zoom or the Q &A function in Zoom webinar
Technology: Zoom chat function, handheld microphones

Group based discussions (debates)
Considerations	Recommendations
Should I use virtual breakout rooms for group discussion activities?	Creating small groups to facilitate dialogue in breakout rooms is desirable. It will be easier if you create separate breakout rooms for online students and in person students. Keep in person students together as one group and assign them a breakout room and ask them to mute their microphones. If this is not done, and if all students have been logged into the Zoom session prior to assigning breakout rooms, automatic assigning of breakout rooms will mix the two cohorts. This could cause confusion for students and would lead to audio issues. It may also potentially limit the ability for in-students to communicate verbally with online cohorts, reverting the discussion to the chat function only. It is recommended to use either the self-select option where students get to choose their groups or manually assign them to the groups based on in person or online. This will allow online students to verbally discuss with each other, and would allow in person students to discuss verbally while their microphones are on mute.
How will audio be managed in a breakout room?	For groups of students who are only online, they should unmute themselves and use their mics and video. For in person students, they should be muted and discuss verbally in class.
Can I still visit students' breakout rooms?	Note that if you visit the breakout room, your video and audio feed will be projected in class for all in person students to hear. To join online breakout rooms, login with a separate device not connected to the room system and use a headset to provide support for each group whether they are online or physically present.
Technology: Zoom chat function, handheld microphones, limit use of breakout rooms

Brainstorming/Whiteboard activity
Considerations	Recommendations
How do I get the whole class to work on a shared whiteboard for brainstorming?	Have all students log into the Zoom link to access the whiteboard link. If it is an external digital whiteboard, share the link with all students in the chat. Share your screen with those online and have the screen projected on the main display in the room. Take questions or comments via the chat. If an in person student wants to make a verbal comment, have them use the handheld microphone or paraphrase their question for everyone online.
How should I provide the instructions?	Include the details for the task in the google doc or on the whiteboard in case students forget -- it can be intimidating to seek clarification (whether face-to-face or online)
How do I get groups to work on a shared whiteboard for brainstorming?	Create breakout rooms for students online, have them self select into the group. You can assign them a number or name the breakout room and have them self select into that room. Create in person groups based on their seating arrangement. Have them still logged into Zoom but on mute. This will allow them to stay connected when you return as a whole class for debrief.
Technology: Zoom whiteboard, Google Jamboard, Padlet

Presentations (group or individual)
Considerations	Recommendations
Can I run group presentations with some students online and some in person?	It would be better to have students pre-record their presentations for all to watch asynchronously and have students give feedback online. This would create a more equitable experience for students.
How do I make individual presentations equitable?	Have all students present using their laptop. Make sure students who are not presenting are muted. Project the Zoom interface on the display in class for in person students to see. Online students should turn on their webcam and audio and share their slides on screen. In person students should turn on their webcam, use the in classroom microphone and share their slides on screen.
How can students ask questions or make comments?	It is best to take questions or comments via the chat in Zoom.
Technology: Zoom meeting, video recording, PowerPoint, Google Slides, handheld microphones

Creating a digital resource
Considerations	Recommendations
Where should students collaborate to create a digital resource?	Consider using Microsoft Teams for the synchronous and asynchronous communication using the chat, message board and video meeting.
What is the best medium for students to create a digital resource?	Get students to use a web based collaborative document platform such as Google Drive or Office 365 online version.
Technology: Zoom, Google Drive, Microsoft Teams, Office 365 online version

Hard - requires a lot of modifications or redesign

Team work / group work
Considerations	Recommendations
Can I get students in person and online to work together during a class?	If you want to mix the cohorts, it is recommended to make this activity asynchronous using a tool like MS Teams to manage the collaboration.
Can I get students to use the in class whiteboards?	It is recommended to use electronic whiteboards. Teams that are completely in person may use a whiteboard if the room technology allows whiteboard camera zoom.
Technology: MS Teams, Zoom

Working with physical artefacts or co-creating a physical resource
Considerations	Recommendations
Should I design activities so that students work on physical artefacts?	Avoid incorporating physical artefacts into teaching unless both groups of students (online and in person) can access them so that the experience is the same for both. Also, materials and tools should be available to online students to allow for safe use in their home. If this can't be achieved, you might need to move this activity into a hybrid adaptive learning activity so that you can create equivalent but different experiences for both groups.
Technology: Household materials

Hands-on practical demonstrations and activities (e.g. laboratory or studio)
Considerations	Recommendations
How can I demonstrate something to both online and in person students?	It is best to pre-record demonstrations to achieve better quality and detail. If you want to demonstrate calculations or hand write formulas spontaneously while in class, you can either use a digital whiteboard or use the in classroom whiteboard and press the button to zoom the camera to the whiteboard. Remember to turn it off or return to the front of room view when you are done.
How can I do a demonstration in the lab for both online and in person students?	If you want to do a live demonstration and your lab is equipped with a camera, then make sure that both online and in person students can see the demonstration. Suggest to students to use the Speaker view in Zoom so that they can have a larger screen view of the demonstration. Keep in mind physical distancing rules for those physically present. Project what you are recording on screen.
How can students share their own physical demonstration with both online and in person students?	If you want a student to do a live demonstration, such as a physical drawing or a lab experiment, it is recommended that they have access to either a webcam or their mobile phone so that they can film themselves doing the demonstration. A tripod for their phone would allow them to remain hands free to do the demonstration. This can be done from home or in the classroom. The student demonstrating should also unmute their audio and turn on their camera. Suggest to students to use the Speaker view in Zoom so that they can have a larger screen view of the demonstration.
How do I get my online students to participate in the lab activity?	It is recommended that you schedule a Hybrid parallel (dual) for this activity as it is challenging to design lab activity so that it is equitable for both groups at once. Consider providing additional lab time to rotate online and in person students. Alternatively, pair online students with in person students using a mobile device and headset. The in person student must turn on their camera.
Technology: Zoom, mobile device, webcam, tripod

Please contact Scheduling Services if you want to discuss a change to a hybrid teaching room.

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Plan hybrid-concurrent activities

At a glance

Teaching activities and their suitability for hybrid concurrent teaching

Your feedback matters