Hybrid Teaching

Hybrid Teaching at Newcastle University

Newcastle University defines hybrid teaching as the synchronous delivery of both on-campus (in-person) and remote (online) events. In a hybrid environment, colleagues will use in-venue technology to present to a mix of physically present and a remote audience at the same time.

Please note that we are currently piloting hybrid teaching as a means of including audience members and speakers who are unable to attend on-campus events. Colleagues are not required to hybrid teach as a new mode of delivery.

However, if you do wish to make use of the Inclusive Hybrid Learning Space technology here are a few suggestions:

• For learners who are registered on a programme of study, but for medical or other reasons are unable to attend the lectures in person.  These learners have previously relied upon ReCap for the delivery content, but this technology enables them to be part of the lecture in real time;
• For learning events where a guest speaker could be invited to present and engage without the cost (both financial and environmental) to both parties;
• For open days, taster days, and subject experience days when the Zoom/Teams link can be sent to people who are unable to attend in person due to either travel or medical reasons;
• For conferences and guest speakers where the invitation to attend a session would either be impossible to organise or unreasonable to support for environmental reasons;
• For impact and engagement events where guest speakers and participants could be invited to present and engage without the cost (both financial and environmental) to all parties;

These are just a few of the obvious applications for the technology.  There will of course be others and we would encourage you to make use of these pilot spaces and consider how they might be used to support your work in ways that were not previously possible.

Inclusive Hybrid Learning Spaces

Inclusive Hybrid Learning Spaces (IHLS) is Newcastle University's institutionally supported pilot for streaming lectures, conferences, and other learning events across various parts of the central campus. IHLS-enabled venues are traditional learning spaces which can additionally be used to support remote participation with clear lines of sight and sound between those presenting, those in the room, and those that are online.

Principles of IHLS

In this pilot project, we have sought to adapt our current on-campus learning spaces based upon the user engagement principles of clear lines of sight and sound. The presenter predominantly inhabits the space around the learning desk and teaching computer; the in-person participants remain in place looking and listening towards the presenter. However, IHLS-technology also enables the presenter to see and hear the remote participants in front of their line of vision and inline with the in-person participants. Similarly, the remote participants can view the presenter from cameras placed to mimic an in-person experience (looking forwards towards the presenter and the whiteboard).

FAQs

IHLS began as a pilot project within HaSS and was then centrally funded to include common user teaching spaces across the central campus. It has leads from Estates, NUIT, FESP, and Executive Board to steer this project. Feedback, operational, and strategic matters relating to the project are relayed from the core team into the Digital Education Sub-Committee. 

Find out the answers to a list of frequently asked questions regarding IHLS: