The Hybrid Teaching Exchange was launched in early June 2020. It is an internal, University of Edinburgh website designed as a space where colleagues can share work in progress, learning, insights, ideas, plans and resources as we prepare for the move to hybrid teaching for 2020/21. It has grown quickly, with over 30 contributions from colleagues across the institution. The aim of these fortnightly email digests is to provide an overview of the site and highlight new and existing content that we hope will be useful and of interest to you and colleagues as we prepare for the new academic year. The site currently has three themes.
Exploring Hybrid Teaching
Exploring Hybrid Teaching provides institutional and disciplinary perspectives on what is meant by hybrid teaching, together with ideas and work in progress plans for autumn 2020. This includes:
- A post from Sian Bayne that introduces the pedagogic thinking behind the approach to hybrid teaching we are taking in Edinburgh, along with examples of how Schools are conceptualising and preparing for hybrid teaching (including Engineering and Languages, Literatures & Cultures).
- We’ve also included links to the reflections of colleagues on the approach they are taking for their teaching (for example – https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/learningexchange/2020/04/29/transforming-my-university-course-for-a-covid-world-but-how/) and in responding to key challenges for hybrid teaching.
- This includes suggestions on how to approach hybrid teaching by experienced online educators, and a discussion from colleagues in Moray House School of Education and Sport (MHSES) on how they and the wider University might better use of outdoor places and spaces for hybrid teaching.
Hybrid Learner Journeys
Hybrid Learner Journeys provides material intended to help us understand and articulate hybrid teaching from the perspective of our students. This includes:
- Generic and disciplinary/specific hybrid learner journeys constructed using a personas approach.
- There is also guidance on generating these personas and hybrid learner journeys
- Other recent contributions in this theme include reflections from Tina Harrison and Colm Harmon on the University Covid-19 survey of undergraduate students and lessons emerging for hybrid teaching
- And a set of video reflections from Students’ Association and Sports Union sabbaticals on what they have been hearing from our students about expectations and concerns as we approach the new academic year.
Building Community and Belonging
Building Community and Belonging is the latest theme to be added. Content includes:
- A discussion of approaches to the creation of an ethos of belonging and community in a hybrid environment
- Ways to foster online community-building during the Covid-19 crisis
- And the new “Fostering a Sense of Belonging at our University: A Guide for Schools”
Resources
The Exchange site also links to University support and other resources. This includes the Information Services Teaching Continuity Pages that have recently been updated to focus on support for hybrid teaching, including links to support and training from ISG (Information Services Group) and the IAD (Institute for Academic Development).
Upcoming Themes
New themes for the coming weeks include assessment and equality, diversity & inclusion, and we will continue to add content and themes over the summer and throughout the new academic year.
Contribute and Feedback
Please do consider contributing to the site and let us know if you have suggestions for future themes and topics.
We’d also welcome your feedback on the site and we are currently running a five minute usability study (link to 5 minute usability survey).
Best wishes
Jon Turner (IAD Director), Joe Arton and Ros Claase (Hybrid Teaching Exchange Curators)
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