Hybrid Small Group Model:Background

• Seminar with emphasis on small group interaction and discussion

• 2 instructors with 7 face-to-face and 15 online students

• 1 Tech Nav for pre/post design and real-time support

Hybrid Small Group Model:Primary Challenges

• How to move students easily from one discussion “space” to another

• How can instructors “sample” the discussions for impressions of student understanding

Innovating theHybrid Small Group Model

• Iteration 1: Shared iPads• Iteration 2: Shared desktops• Iteration 3: Audio configuration

1. Techniques/Courseware: How the tech was set up

2. Context & Issues: Problems that arose3. Solutions: How we addresses the problems

Iteration 1: Hybrid Small Group

4. Balcony – laptop connected to Sony SMART TV

2. Audio input/output – Chat160 speakerphone

1. Instructor station – Mac Mini + SMART board

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1

3

3. Instructor only cam – iPad on tripod (Tripad)

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5. Student stations – Separate Google Hangouts with face-to-face and online participants

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Iteration 1: Context and Issues• Hangouts envisioned as “spaces” students

could enter and leave as required– iPads did not support Hangouts when no one was

present• Use of audio splitters on iPads not 100%

effective• Confines made simultaneous small group

discussion difficult (audio overlap)

Iteration 1: Needed Solutions

• Larger facilities– transitions between stations was not smooth for face-to-

face students• More focused audio channels• Devices to support stable online group discussions

Instructors, Tech Nav, and the Design Studio team determined a need for:

Iteration 2: Hybrid Small Group

1. Balcony – laptop connected to projector screen showing online participants in GTM

3. Audio input/output – Chat160 speakerphone

4. Student stations – Separate Google Hangouts with face-to-face and online participants

2. Instructor only cam – iPad on tripod (Tripad)

Iteration 2: Applied Solutions

• Relocate to a larger room• Replace shared iPads with shared desktop

iMacs• Audio splitters more effective with desktop

computers– More focused audio channels

• Confines made simultaneous small group discussion manageable

Iteration 2: Context and Issues

• Larger room made background noise more distracting

• Online students having difficulty hearing instructors

Iteration 3: Applied Solutions• Wireless microphones paired to desktops at

each student station

Conclusions• Instructors’ pedagogical strategy and vision

leads the design• Configurations should be tested extensively

but…• Human interactions and the environment can

require radical changes to initial configurations

Conclusions (cont.)• Clear, focused audio is VITAL• Tech Nav: vital to assisting and assessing

pre/post class needs and real-time support• Configurations can always be refined to

support specific pedagogical visions