Swedish study shows how to train teachers for hybrid learning in after-school programs
Researchers found that combining theory with hands-on practice helps future after-school teachers design digital learning activities that blend education with students' interests. The finding matters as schools worldwide struggle to modernize staff training and balance structured learning with student engagement in non-classroom settings.
Originaltitel: ”Att få kött på benen” – att förbereda lärarstudenter både teoretiskt och praktiskt för att designa hybrida läraktiviteter i fritidshemmet
The study explores three challenges: the gap between theoretical education and practical training, the lack of digital didactics in teacher education, and the tension between offering meaningful leisure time and achieving educational goals in SAEC. The study explores how SAEC teacher students can be prepared to design scientifically based hybrid learning activities. Grounded in Design for Learning theory, students participated in theoretical and practical lessons and designed hybrid learning activities at a SAEC center. Data from written reflections and interviews show that students were able to connect theory to practice and expressed a willingness to design similar activities in their future careers, as they viewed these activities as a way to integrate planned learning activities with pupils’ interests. These findings highlight the importance of preparing SAEC teacher students, both theoretically and practically, to design hybrid learning activities.