The coronavirus pandemic has put a stark light on an emerging truth—that we need to move beyond treating technology as a means by which to simply automate conventional models of teaching; instead, it now appears to be more important than ever that we focus our attention on ways in which we can leverage educational technology for the design of online and hybrid learning environments that promote deeper learning across subjects and grade levels. This need arises out of a growing recognition that mere acquisition of qualifications and credentials is far from enough for human success and resilience in the 21st century. Rather it is mainly the cognitive and noncognitive skills and character qualities developed through education which help humans thrive; success in education is thus no longer about accumulating knowledge, but about extrapolating from what we know and applying that knowledge creatively in novel situations; it is also about thinking across disciplinary silos, being self-directed thinkers and learners, communicating clearly, and amplifying each other’s strengths in collaborative partnerships that seek to promote individual well-being and identify innovative solutions to societal challenges. ‘Deep(er) learning’ then is commonly understood to refer to a combination of cognitive, interpersonal and intrapersonal skills, and may include emotional characteristics, attitudes, and values. 

From a pedagogical perspective, there is also a general consensus that such skills and competencies can best be activated and nurtured through sociocultural and constructivist instructional approaches, including engagement in interdisciplinary, collaborative, real-world-aligned projects for the development of original work (Mehta & Fine, 2019). Yet, it is hard to imagine that educators around the world could make a real shift toward 21st century learning without the knowledge and skills necessary to reinvent the ways in which digital teaching tools and platforms may be used to create such new types of instructional environments. Across OECD countries in 2018, more than one in three teachers were found to lack fundamental technological pedagogical knowledge to effectively integrate educational technology in their teaching (OECD, 2020a). Indeed, the results of applying technology in education have been generally disappointing so far. PISA 2018 revealed that while on average across OECD countries nearly half of 15-year-olds were enrolled in schools where an effective online learning platform was reportedly available, the most common activities students engaged in at school were those that involved instruction and direct learning, rather than those that involved active discussion or participation, for example, through teamwork (OECD, 2020a; OECD, 2020b). This suggests that current teaching practices continue to rely on teacher-directed instruction rather than the kind of student-centred activities that are more in line with the pedagogical aims and principles of 21st century learning. As such, the question remains of how educational systems would leverage digital technology to develop quality learning opportunities for all children, including those living in underserved areas with scarce educational resources.

This study investigated the effectiveness of a hybrid model designed for the delivery of the English language national curriculum to primary school-age children in remote areas in Greece which suffer from resource paucity and a lack of access to formal learning inputs. Moreover, drawing on Tochon's (2019) deep language learning framework, it examined the role which deeper forms of engagement and understanding, such as creativity, curiosity, prosocial behaviour, and effective collaboration skills, played in a hybrid learning environment which fundamentally centres around three key concepts: computer-supported collaborative enquiry, authenticity, and personalisation. The main research question was formulated as follows:

What elements of the hybrid learning intervention, the participants and the wider context within which the intervention was situated were perceived as having facilitated and/or impeded children’s deep language learning?

The study employed a mixed methods quasi-experimental design. Forty-seven pupils aged 8-12 attending eight small rural schools across the country participated in the hybrid learning intervention, which consisted of weekly live interactive sessions with a remote teacher for a period of 12 weeks, and access to a personalised web-based learning platform for self-study. Attainment and behavioural data were analysed using structural equation modelling techniques. Qualitative insights were drawn in two ways: (a) via classroom video analysis; and (b) through focus group and interview responses to establish students’, teachers’ and parents’ views on the impact of the intervention on students and their environment, as well as the specific mechanisms by which this impact was perceived to have operated.

The hybrid intervention was established as a significant predictor of gains in three out of five language areas assessed (vocabulary, grammar, and aural comprehension). A key question that emerged concerned the role of teacher attributes such as openness to experience and experimentation, curiosity, inquisitiveness, and creativity in designing learning that fosters students' deeper engagement with the subject matter in hybrid settings. Issues pertaining to alternative forms of assessment, such as including levels of teamwork, cooperation competency and initiative competency into cross-disciplinary curricular aims to serve as markers of successful group task completion are also discussed. Finally, the term 'meaningful peer collaboration' is introduced and elaborated. The presentation will conclude by suggesting future directions for research and implications for educational policy and practice.

Mehta, J. and Fine, S. (2015) The why, what, where, and how of deeper learning in American secondary schools. Boston, MA: Jobs for the Future. OECD (2020a) PISA 2018 Results (Volume V): Effective Policies, Successful Schools. Paris: PISA, OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/ca768d40-en. OECD (2020b) PISA 2018 Results (Volume VI): Are Students Ready to Thrive in an Interconnected World?. Paris: PISA, OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/d5f68679-en. Tochon, F. V. (2019) Help Them Learn a Language Deeply: François Victor Tochon's Deep Approach to World Languages and Cultures. Blue Mounds, WI: Deep University Press.