From emergency to institutionalisation: Teacher readiness and practices in synchronous hybrid education

Synchronous hybrid education gained prominence during COVID-19 and continues to be adopted, given its benefits. However, it poses challenges for teachers and students. Investigating teachers’ readiness to implement this approach and identifying good practices from experienced hybrid teachers is crucial for smooth adoption. This study explored teachers’ readiness for synchronous hybrid education, focusing on their perceptions of possibilities, benefits and challenges, and their teaching practices related to technology integration and learning activities. Eighty teachers from four vocational secondary schools participated. One group ( n = 12) consisted of teachers who currently teach regular hybrid classes, while the other group (n = 68) experienced it during the COVID-19 pandemic but does not currently teach in hybrid mode. The groups were comparable in age, gender, and teaching experience. We used a cross-sectional group comparison design and collected quantitative and qualitative data. Both groups reported similar perceptions of possibilities and benefits, with connecting learners to people, content, and resources being rated as the highest. Institutionalised hybrid teachers valued student autonomy more strongly, while emergency hybrid teachers highlighted peer collaboration. Challenges reported by institutionalised hybrid teachers included student-related, pedagogical, interpersonal, technological, and spatial issues. Notably, institutionalised hybrid teachers used more advanced technologies and constructive learning activities, likely reflecting hybrid teaching experience and curricular demands. This study highlights the importance of identifying teachers’ needs and difficulties, as well as good practices from experienced hybrid teachers, to provide teachers with tailored professional development and support and ensure a smooth transition to synchronous hybrid education. • Compares hybrid teachers at different stages of institutional implementation. • Links readiness dimensions to concrete hybrid teaching practices. • Institutionalised hybrid teachers use advanced tech and design more constructive activities. • Identifies key challenges that inform targeted support for hybrid teaching. • Demonstrates how institutional context shapes sustainable hybrid teaching.