Abstract:

The Covid-19 Pandemic has challenged schools around the world to develop systems of learning to deliver education, that stimulates kids, and at the same time ensures the safety and well-being of students, parents, and the local and global community. The role of technology has been central in this endeavor. Many schools transferred their learning online, offering 100% virtual schooling or using a hybrid model. While knowledge about distance education and the application of digital media in learning has been well-developed for decades, there is strong evidence to suggest that many schools, prior to the Pandemic, lacked a systemic approach to integrate technology, and thereby never fully benefitted from technology. Studies also showed a low level of digital competence among educators, which may explain the more limited application of technology at the K-12 level. The Covid-19 Pandemic changed this reality as schools necessarily shifted to pure distance based and hybrid models to survive. Where there was once a question about digital competence, the Pandemic cast educators over the wall of insecurity, and provided them a real-world situation in which to not only develop skills in working with technology, but in many cases innovate learning through the use of technology.

In 2020, we conducted a study of a private school in Tampa Florida focusing on “leading during a pandemic”, which has since been published. During the data collection, the school was working on a new “back-to-school plan” to develop a more sustainable model for schooling over the coming year. Their “quick-fix” implementation of a 100% virtual approach during the spring 2020 was deemed unsustainable if the pandemic would continue. Their back-to-school plan was based on a hybrid model of schooling. Their motto was: “the building is closed, but we are open for learning”. We continued to follow the school during Pandemic year (2020-2021) and observed innovations in teaching and learning as a result of the hybrid model. The school was also recognized locally and nationally as a lighthouse for other schools based on their implementation of hybrid model of schooling.

The purpose of this paper is to present findings from phase two of the qualitative case study to examine what happened to the school during the hybrid model phase. Data were gathered from interviews, focus groups and video footage. The Digital Culture model was used as an analytical framework to examine the data from four dimension: pedagogy, communication, organizational systems, and technology.

Five questions guide this exploratory case study:
- How has the hybrid model of schooling impacted teaching and learning at the school?
- What innovations in teaching and learning emerged during the hybrid model phase of schooling?
- What leadership and organizational challenges were encountered during the hybrid model phase of schooling?
- What changes occurred in the culture of the school during the hybrid model phase of schooling?
- In what ways will the hybrid model continue to influence the future direction of the school?

This study contributes to a research on Quality in Education. It is speculated that the pandemic has changed the future of work emphasizing hybrid solutions and networking. Understanding how distance education or hybrid models can be sustainable at the K-12 level is therefore of relevance to better prepare youth for a future world of work and sustainable development.

Keywords:

Hyrbid schooling, quality, pandemic, sustainability.