Going Hybrid

Editor’s Note: To sign up for this class in the Fall, please see .

This Spring, my co-teacher Doriane Tippet and I decided to teach our classes hybrid: simultaneously in-person and on Zoom. Recently, we also recorded for a time-delayed attendance. One of our former Zoom students, Beverly Miles in Belize, recently became accredited and agreed to be our Zoom anchor and co-teacher. 

We have a spreadsheet in Google Drive where we offer handouts and readings, and announce the movements and principles we will cover. Having three teachers and two “locations” gives us flexibility if someone is sick, weather is bad, technology is down, or if someone is traveling (in which case we separate Zoom from in-person or move entirely to Zoom).

There are lots of ways to set up a hybrid space. A dry run was important before the first class. We’ve learned to evaluate lighting (windows cause glare) and sound (in one space the HVAC blowers were so loud that Zoom struggled to pick up voices).

For class, I bring my laptop, a small USB hub, and an HD webcam with microphone. I try to arrive at least half an hour before start time to set up the technology since people arrive to chat before class. Our venue has a rolling cart with a large HDMI enabled TV in the rooms where we teach, which allows in-person students to see Zoom students.  The computer hooks into the TV screen which duplicates the view. I also turn Zoom captions on, giving me another way to check my sound.

I arrange the in-person participants so that we can see and be seen by Zoomers. We start out with a circle and have the camera and TV screen be part of the circle. I sometimes leave Zoom in gallery view, so that the two halves of the class can interact, although for the recording I prefer the speaker view so that chairs closest to the TV aren’t picked up by the camera, which allows some people to stay out of the picture.

When moving, we didn’t want to put our backs to the camera. We originally faced our students in rows with the camera on a tripod facing and showing only us. We had to mirror (which can be confusing). We got feedback from the Zoomers that it would be better to see the room. 

Our most effective setup for moving surprised me. The camera sits on top of the TV, and we push the TV back; we teachers face the camera with rows of students standing behind us. At times, I turn sideways to show things to both the class and the camera. The Zoomers can see the whole class, who in turn follow us both from behind and on the TV screen. Those wishing to stay off-camera can hide behind someone else. The Zoom teacher stays unmuted during the class. During the discussion, I want her Zoom box to be seen when she comments but during the practice, I spotlight the classroom, so the camera won’t jump around.

Unfortunately, students can’t see our lips, but some read the captions. Otherwise, this setup is my favorite and not just for its practicality: for the in-person participants, there is something about following behind rather than facing us that relaxes everyone and gets us flowing in sync very quickly. I’ve never seen anything quite like it before, even with mirrors!

I also record on Zoom to my local computer. It’s not meant to be a long-term resource, but rather for time-delayed attendance. The local recording follows the view setting (speaker or gallery) used in the class. Seeing the whole class in one of many small Zoom boxes is not ideal, so we almost always stay in speaker view. 

I stop the recording right after Cosmic Consciousness Pose since I want to avoid any editing. After the class disperses, Dori and I stay on for 10 minutes answering questions on Zoom from TCC teachers and community members. I later upload the video to YouTube and make it unlisted so that only those with the link can view it. Movements for this class are not going in order, so I don’t pressure myself to get the video out immediately.