The Effect of Hybrid Learning on Seniors Preparing for College

Hybrid learning at Bishop Union Highschool has forced seniors to come up with new ways to learn and try to keep up with their work. Teachers are also facing new challenges as they try to figure out how to teach and relay the information the seniors need in-person and online.

Imagine going through your first three years of high school and getting down a schedule and making plans for what you need to get done for your senior year. You have your learning habits down and study skills and have planned to take your last shot at the SAT. These Seniors had these things figured out but now they have to find what works for them all over again and this time even two different things that work since they are only going to school two days a week.

Tylar Banta is a senior here at BUHS, she takes AP classes along with a mix of regular classes. 

“My workload is minimal this year which is in part due to the current distance/hybrid model’ My schedule is just as strenuous as before.” Banta said.

So even though she is taking heavier classes she doesn’t have tons of work because of the hybrid/distance model. 

“I like hybrid learning in that it allows students who may not have felt comfortable or safe at school to stay and learn from home,” Banta said. “I also enjoy that hybrid learning has opened up a whole other learning platform that can be used when going to school is impossible as in it’s a snow or smoke day. I don’t like that hybrid learning has stunted my education by only giving me access to my teachers two times a week. It has also made classes less interactive in that students don’t collaborate with each other and with the teacher when online, and when in-seat the class can’t collaborate with the other online students.” 

 Becca Quintana is a senior at BUHS and takes the general classes here. The hybrid/distance model has created some difficulties for students 

“There’s not anything I can think of that I like about hybrid learning, it’s complicated, keeping up with classes is harder than ever. But it does help to be at school at least 2 days a week.” Quintana said. 

Quintana feels that teaching and learning during a global pandemic requires both teachers and students to adjust their expectations.

“Everything is going as well as it can in my opinion. I do feel like teachers shouldn’t have the same expectations as before though, learning at a desk and learning at home can be extremely different and difficult for some people.” Quintana said.