Remote learning isn’t a new idea: distance learning via mail has existed since the mid-1800s, and the founders of the successful ice cream company Ben & Jerry’s learned their craft from a Penn State correspondence course in 1978.  The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic transformed remote education from a secondary means of learning to a primary one.  Schools and universities couldn’t cancel classes indefinitely, turning to software like Blackboard and apps like Zoom to resume teaching.  While many institutions have returned to in-person instruction, COVID spikes continue to temporarily close campuses to curb transmission.  Colleges like Bentley University have gone beyond temporary measures and invested in permanent hybrid learning setups.

Whether your school intends to use remote instruction as needed or has embraced it as a continuing education tool, the hybrid classroom is here to stay.  Let’s take a look at some factors to consider when either renovating an existing classroom for combined learning or constructing a hybrid classroom from scratch.