Hybrid learning concepts that bring together online and in-person participants are becoming increasingly popular. For an ideal connection, trainers and workshop leaders need to consider a few fundamental special features. In this article, you will get 3 tips directly from practice so that your hybrid workshop is a success.
First: What is a hybrid workshop?
Hybrid learning combines online and in-person learning. The participants are in different locations throughout the entire learning process. Typically, one subgroup is present in person, while the other group is connected online.
The workshop leader supervises both groups at the same time. Video conferencing systems such as Zoom or Google Teams are used for this. The learning content and goals are identical for both groups; only the learning location is different.
Special form: Hybrid Blended Learning
With blended learning, you divide the learning process into fixed online and in-person phases. The in-person phases can also take place online, for example as a video conference. You can also combine this division with hybrid learning:
There are fixed online self-study phases. The in-person phases take place hybridly online and in person at the same time. With this connection, your participants can choose whether they want to participate in the in-person phase classically on-site or online. This allows you the high flexibility of hybrid learning. At the same time, the additional learning effect from the pure online phases of blended learning is preserved.
3 practical tips for hybrid workshops
We tried out the concept of hybrid workshops in combination with blended learning:
Hybrid: one learning group was present in person, the second learning group was connected digitally via Zoom.
Blended: Both learning groups prepared for the workshop with an online course and received further learning impulses online afterwards.
In this video, workshop leader Claudia summarized her learnings from the hybrid workshop:
The challenge: How do I involve both groups of participants correctly?
In hybrid workshops, the biggest challenge for you as a workshop leader is to involve everyone in different locations equally.
For the participants in the room, it's simple: everyone sits face-to-face, can look at each other directly, and interact directly with you as the workshop leader. Most workshop leaders and participants are familiar with this situation.
But the online participants must not be neglected either: they are only visible on a screen and cannot establish direct eye contact. Exchanging with one another, for example during breaks, is also difficult.
Tip 1: Involve all participants ACTIVELY
Don't just address the participants in the room. Address the online participants directly as well, make (virtual) eye contact, and actively encourage them to participate.
Create communication in a triangle between you, the in-person participants, and the online participants. Actively create situations in which the two groups exchange ideas or discuss with each other.
Tip 2: Integrate online participants in breaks too
Short breaks in in-person workshops do not always take place at the seat. Often, conversations are held at the coffee machine or outside the room. Avoid this in hybrid workshops.
The breaks should take place in the workshop room. The online participants remain connected, and the microphones and cameras stay on! This allows them to actively participate here as well. This strengthens the group feeling.
A look into the hybrid workshop room of blink.it: The online participants can be seen on the big screen throughout the entire day.
Tip 3: Use screensharing for explanations
“Especially at in-person events, I used to quickly walk over to a participant, look at their screen, and help the participant there,” Claudia reports from her many past workshops.
In hybrid workshops, this leads to a problem: one participant sees on their device what you, as the workshop leader, want to show. However, the digital participants do not see it and cannot benefit from your support.
The solution for hybrid workshops: Use the screensharing feature of your video conferencing tool to share the screen with all participants. This way, the online participants can also see what it's about.
To avoid technical chaos, you should weigh up: Is this question currently interesting for everyone in the group, or really only for a single participant (for example, in the case of technical problems with their own device)?
With these three tips, you will succeed in integrating both groups and creating a good atmosphere for exchange, discussion, and successful learning.
If you additionally use elements from blended learning, for example for self-directed preparation and follow-up in the online course, your workshop becomes a special concept with the highest possible learning success for all participants.
