Case Study Research on the Hybrid Classroom Experience in Higher Education Post-Covid-19 from Students and Faculty Members' Perspectives in One of the UAE Universities

Abstract

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation, an urgent online transmission was required to begin the second semester of 2022. Starting in the third week of the second semester, the university started offering hybrid classes to its students in an effort to make the learning process more efficient for all. The objective of this paper is to present the findings of the current case study research that was conducted on the campus of the university during the second semester of the academic year 2022. The research was based on individual interviews with eight participants, including one member of the academic faculty and seven students from higher education who had experience with hybrid and distance classrooms at the university. For the purpose of gaining insight into the participants' perspectives on the hybrid classroom experience, open-ended interview questions and ratings were collected from each and every participant. The three most significant issues that raise concerns are the interaction with peers, the academic content and the instructor, the presence of passive attendees, and the presence of technical issues during study time.