User Research
Hybrid Learning in Universities
The Brief
In this brief, you are asked to focus on an area of sustainability and explore how, in this moment of transition as we move beyond the 'crisis' phase of the current global pandemic, there is an opportunity for us to assess our habits going forward. Work in groups to identify opportunities for new ways of post-pandemic living framed around sustainable change. These need not only relate to the environment, though we do ask that this is a consideration. It might also relate to healthy lifestyle habits and enhanced personal or family welfare. Over the next 2 weeks, proceed as follows:
​
-
Identify a group of people with certain shared characteristics that you would like to connect with;
-
Aim to connect to 3-5 individuals (more if you are going to do a survey);
-
Apply at least 2 techniques (e.g., interview, online workshop, survey) to gather data gather data in relation to the following:
-
their general perspective on sustainability,
-
how their life has changed during the pandemic (the good and the bad),
-
what they believe society needs to retain (if anything)
-
what opportunities (if any) they see for enhancing sustainable practices going forward
-
-
Analyze the data with a view to identifying insights which point to opportunity spaces for small to medium scale society-wide design interventions
-
Frame 3 bold, early-stage concepts/proposals termed 'propositions' for sustainable change which can be mapped back to the opportunity spaces. If appropriate, consider the role technology might play here in supporting the change. These can be sketches or loose storyboards.
The Research
In March 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic introduced many changes to the way universities did business. In the UK, in-person classes moved online and students were thrown into the world of virtual learning.
We wanted to know if there were any sustainable changes to university education at as a result of the pandemic. We identified university students as our group of interest.
​
Central research questions:
​
-
Was there anything these “Netflix generation” students liked about online learning?
-
What did they hate?
-
Would students be open to a hybrid learning experience in post-pandemic world?
Method
We developed a survey and received responses from 63 university students and conducted 5 interviews with university students.
We grouped the survey and interview results into four categories:
​
1. Overall Participant Insights
2. Communication
3. Technology
4. Future Learning
Opportunity Spaces Identified
The data revealed that while students definitely had some problems with online learning, the large majority of students were open to a hybrid learning model, where modules combined both virtual and in-person delivery.
Space 1: Improve student to teacher communication.
1/5 of students surveyed found teaching staff to be less than moderately helpful.
Space 2: Create engaging educational experiences.
84% of students said that in-person learning was at least moderately important when learning online.
Space 3: Create time management and journey planner.
1/3 of students surveyed lived further than 5 miles away. Students have told that they value flexibility but also in-person face-to-face communication
Exploring Opportunity Space 1:
Improving student to teacher communication
We propose several strategies to allow for greater access to teaching staff using a hybrid model:
​​
-
Hosting in-person classes once a week
-
Allowing students to sign up for one-to-one meetings with teaching staff via an app
-
Creating a teaching team to support the professor to help with content and/or tech needs
-
Hosting live session and a Q&A session
This user storyboard illustrates greater communication between students and teaching staff in the hybrid learning environment.
University students have expressed a need for
​
-
Improved communication with staff
-
More engaging learning experience
-
Flexible learning and efficiency to allow for greater time management
​
We see an opportunity in the hybrid learning space to meet these needs using an engaging mobile/web app.
