Sabine Schermeier presented partial results of her dissertation on hybrid small group work at the Earli SIG 6&7 conference “Instructional Design and Technology-Enhanced Learning: Current States and Future Perspectives”, which took place in Tübingen from 21 to 23 August 2024. Her presentation entitled “Learners’ perceived relatedness in hybrid collaboration compared to F2F or remote settings” focussed on the perceived social integration of learners in different collaboration settings.
Hybrid small group work, in which learners work together on site with online learners using online tools, is becoming increasingly important due to its flexibility. The differences between face-to-face (F2F) and remote group work have already been analysed in depth. However, there have only been a few studies on hybrid collaboration to date. The few studies that do exist indicate that learners in hybrid groups who are connected online often feel less socially integrated than learners who are present on site.
In her study, Sabine Schermeier experimentally investigates the different perceptions of learners in hybrid, F2F and remote small group work. In a laboratory study with 180 students who took part in one of the three group work formats (F2F, remote, hybrid), the participants assessed their socio-affective state. The results show significant differences between the three conditions in terms of perceived social inclusion. Learners in the remote setting felt less socially involved than learners in the other two conditions and even less involved than the remote participants in the hybrid condition.
The results of this study provide an overview of key issues and challenges of hybrid small group work that should be addressed in future research.