Class community
Building a sense of community among students is crucial for every classroom. Educators create community through various experiences in a hybrid model. Students need to feel connected to one another and to the instructor. Instructors must find a way to bridge the physical distance that separates participants by creating a class community.
Instructors need to be thoughtful about how they foster relationships with students to encourage connection and camaraderie. Educators need to consider how to create a welcoming virtual learning space and how to establish the teacher presence as "real people." When educators are authentic, students feel connected and safe to share their thoughts and needs. Students connect best with instructors who aren't afraid to show their personalities.
Instructors can consider strategies like:
- An introductory video welcoming students to the virtual learning space
- Discussion prompts or virtual social activities to help students learn more about their instructor and each other.
- In-person ice-breaker activities revamped to develop connections among in-person and virtual students.
- Social channels for students to get to know each other.
- Routines and rituals that give students something to look forward to and encourages participation.
Collaboration
A crucial component of success in a hybrid environment is students' comfort level with communicating online and collaborating with peers. The more students practice communicating in the virtual classroom, the more comfortable they are. Start with low-stakes collaborative activities in which students establish group norms and learn how to work together. These activities are a powerful way to ease students into larger group projects where each student has a defined role and they're each dependent on one another to complete the task.
Digital citizenship
Students need to practice cyber safety and follow digital citizenship rules. Instructors can establish rules for online courtesies or take students through the group norming process to create guidelines. Once established, digital citizenship principles must be made clear, always restated, and never forgotten. Students need to understand that their purpose is always to protect themselves, to be considerate to others, and to be respectful of others' ideas and work.
Connection
Connection matters in more ways than one in a hybrid learning environment. A sense of community plays an essential role in learning. Psychologist Lev Vygotsky's seminal research noted that "learning awakens a variety of internal development processes that are able to operate only when the [student] is interacting with people in his environment and in cooperation with his peers" (Darby 78). Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development emphasizes that student-to-student interaction helps create new learning; students must work with each other to learn and succeed in a hybrid environment. Students need both their instructor and their peers to learn.
Well-being
Student well-being must be at the forefront of hybrid environments to create a strong community. Research shows that emotion is the entry point to motivation, cognition, and attention. Establishing protocols and procedures for checking on students, evaluating their needs, and identifying when instructors can help is paramount. For younger students, a parent or guardian survey reveals students' needs and how much adult guidance and support students have when they work remotely. For older students, a student survey reveals demands outside of school and other pressures that may interfere with student success in class. Instructors who show students they care and who genuinely work to help students in need motivate and engage students.
Considerations for primary learners
Team building is essential to create a positive class community for primary learners in a hybrid classroom. Educators should create a sense of belonging. Primary-age students, educators, parents, caregivers, other classes, school leaders, and community members all contribute to a class community. Gain feedback and insight stakeholders and act upon the feedback to meet learner needs. Involve students, their families, and caregivers in decision-making.
Considerations for intermediate learners
For intermediate students, their peers offer an immense amount of support and modeling for work and life. Create a culture that provides students the opportunity to observe, share, and grow with other learners. Shared experiences help students build community. They open communication and provide moments that establish background knowledge for future use. Consider scheduling a Teams Meeting that brings the class together for a shared experience in a "Together Time" channel.
Considerations for adolescent learners
For adolescent learners, a strong sense of class community is paramount for social and emotional wellness and the foundation of successful collaboration and problem-solving. Adolescent learners are actively constructing their sense of identity and purpose so the hybrid learning environment should provide opportunities to express themselves and to explore new forms of expression. Educators should facilitate both virtual and in-person activities to provide meaningful opportunities for students to develop relationships and create a cohesive class identity. Plan time for students to internalize the meaning of digital citizenship in the new educational landscape.