What is Hybrid Learning and How Does it Help Adult Students Excel?
By: AJ Lemheney, Vice President and Executive Director of Muhlenberg College Division of Graduate and Continuing Education Thursday, September 29, 2022 10:45 AM
Most of us didn't know that something called "hybrid work"—the fusion of in-person and remote work —was even a possibility before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Today, hybrid work isn't just routine; employees expect it. And workplaces are taking notice. Nearly 43% of employers that started hybrid work structures pre-pandemic plan to continue them into the future, according to a survey of almost 700 executives conducted by professional services company PwC. Another 34% of execs say they're revisiting their hybrid work options this year.
But while you may know what hybrid work is, you may not be as familiar with hybrid learning. It's a model we embrace at the Muhlenberg College School of Graduate Studies. So, what is hybrid learning, and how does it help adult students excel? Let's explore the topic and uncover its many benefits.
What is hybrid learning at Muhlenberg College?
Hybrid learning, also called blended learning, is similar to hybrid work. In a hybrid learning format, students spend part of their time attending courses conducted inside a classroom, then spend the other part of their time learning online.
Our hybrid learning approach differs from that of other colleges. We give our faculty members the tools—including videoconference and learning management systems such as Zoom and Canvas—to make blending online and in-person learning as seamless and convenient as possible.
While many other institutions didn't begin hybrid learning until the pandemic, Muhlenberg started developing its hybrid learning infrastructure in 2014, so by the time the pandemic hit, we had already reimagined nearly 60 classes from their original face-to-face format to an online and blended model. We also had a pool of more than 50 faculty members who served as early adopters, leaders and champions for hybrid learning. Add to that, we have been a regional leader in adult education programs for over 100 years, and the College was uniquely qualified to meet the needs of our students.
Our faculty are not only trained and experienced using digital learning tools, they develop 100% of our courses and curriculum. Unlike other colleges and universities that subcontract to a third party, use an online program management service, or license their content, our students are assured they are learning from our faculty who design, develop and teach their courses.
"That positioned our students and us well for the less-than-ideal circumstances of online-only learning that emerged during the height of the pandemic," says Dr. Lora Taub, Ph.D., Dean of Digital Learning. "It also allowed us to smoothly transition to hybrid learning as the world has emerged from the pandemic."
What are the benefits of hybrid learning for adult students?
Nationwide, hybrid learning has quickly become popular among students, with nearly half (49%) saying they prefer it over in-person learning, according to Barnes & Noble's COLLEGE 2030™ research report. Additionally, according to Encoura Eduventures Research, the recent Changing Landscape of Online Education found that 30-40% of online learning leaders report a strong preference for balance between on-campus and online or a hybrid model rather than purely online learning.
At Muhlenberg College, we now incorporate hybrid learning in all areas of graduate and undergraduate curricula. Students tell us they like it because it:
- Gives them flexibility, letting them better manage work, life and educational needs
- Reduces the time they need to spend in a classroom so they can travel less often to and from campus
- Blends on-site and online learning experiences so they can still build emotional connections with other students and faculty
- Allows them to work independently and autonomously
Lynn D'Angelo Bello, an instructional designer who works with Dr. Taub and the team at Muhlenberg to develop our hybrid learning framework, saw the benefits of hybrid learning as an adult learner.
"There's always a lot going on in my household," she says. "With hybrid learning, I appreciated that I got so much information about a course upfront. That allowed me to schedule my learning around my family and work responsibilities right from the start."
What are some real-life examples of hybrid learning at Muhlenberg?
To show how hybrid classes at Muhlenberg offer varying levels of flexibility, we asked two of our faculty members to share their experiences.
Roland Kushner, Ph.D., is the Graduate Program Coordinator for the Master's in Organizational Leadership program. He teaches Strategic Thinking, one of the program's required courses. He structures the class so students can meet in person on weeks one, four, seven and 10—weeks when face-to-face learning brings students the biggest benefit. Students then meet online for the other six classes.
"The hybrid format lets us accomplish everything we could accomplish in a classroom while also reducing travel time for busy adult learners," Dr. Kushner says.
Jason Schafer is an Adjunct Professor who teaches four courses in the Accelerated Bachelor's Degree Program. He employs what he calls a "flipped" model of classroom activities where students lead the conversation, discussing case studies or readings pertinent to each class. He also implemented a regular feature called "weekly reflections," encouraging students to share honest opinions on the material they're learning and to offer insight into potential course improvements.
"I'm a huge fan of online learning, and the hybrid model gives us the flexibility to maintain person-to-person learning while blending in technology for remote learning," Schafer says. "Incorporating an online component to education helps prepare our students for a society that is undergoing a culture shift to digital behavior."
Muhlenberg faculty members like Dr. Kushner and Schafer get immersed in the concept of hybrid learning through Camp Design Online, a two-week course that gives faculty members hands-on experience with the theories and practices, technological spaces, platforms and tools they will use to perform learning in a blended environment. "Within the Lehigh Valley, we hear over and over again from faculty who have taught at other institutions that they've never experienced anything like the faculty development program we provide and require," said Dr. Taub.
Instructors who are learning our hybrid learning methodology can also rely on Faculty Digital Fellows. They're veteran instructors who share our enthusiasm for teaching online and serve as mentors and champions to other instructors.
And, to ensure our students' voice is reflected in our hybrid learning classes, we engage digital learning assistants. They're students with a high degree of interest in digital media tools, which help us make the online portion of our hybrid learning model as robust as possible.
Where do I begin with hybrid learning?
If you're interested in starting your hybrid learning journey, talk with an academic advisor today and learn whether Muhlenberg College is right for you.
Set up an appointment with an advisor.
About the Muhlenberg College School of Continuing Studies
For more than 100 years, Muhlenberg College’s School of Continuing Studies has provided lifelong learners the opportunity to continue and enhance their education in ways that recognize their experience, maturity, motivation, life circumstances and capacity for independent scholarship. Through a rich variety of certificates and baccalaureate degrees, the School of Continuing Studies aligns a rigorous, high-quality and student-centric curriculum with the needs and trends of our regional economy.
About the Muhlenberg College School of Graduate Studies
The Muhlenberg College School of Graduate Studies offers a variety of post-baccalaureate certificates and master’s degrees aimed at enhancing intellectual and career development through challenging coursework grounded in the liberal arts. With a mix of graduate certificate pathways and master’s degrees aligned with workforce and economic trends, the Muhlenberg College School of Graduate Studies enables students to prepare for professional work and career advancement, with a focus on leadership and innovation.