Empowering academics: a roadmap for hybrid teaching and learning in higher education

Hybrid teaching & learning (T&L) environments in higher education are on the rise. This study adopts a qualitative exploratory approach to draw on data from interviews with 15 academics to examine their perspectives of hybrid T&L in a higher education, post COVID-19 context. In a unique application of both the Reset, Restore, Reframe Model (Deloitte & Swinburne Edge) alongside the 2 × 2 (synchronous / asynchronous / collocated / distributed) model (Chevez), we analyze shifts in academic views on T&L, exploring how these evolve under contextual pressures and what implications they may hold for crafting hybrid T&L policies. We identify the strengths and weaknesses of hybrid T&L approaches and make recommendations for resetting, restoring and reframing hybrid T&L in higher education. Insights from this study underline the importance of involving academic expertize in the early stages of hybrid model. We offer a theoretical model on T&L design which provides the rationale for why particular T&L activities are suited to specific spatial and temporal choices. In addition, we argue for clear guidelines and pathways that adopt a tailored holistic approach to better support hybrid T&L in higher education contexts.