The Impact of School X's Hybrid Learning Program on its Advanced Placement Program

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine how the hybrid learning program implemented by School X had an impact on the school's Advanced Placement (AP) program. Prior research shows how the COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on education and how AP has impacted school students; however, there was a lack of knowledge of how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted AP under the context of hybrid learning. Data was collected through survey research and a case study in which a mixed method was completed. Participants included 48 students enrolled in any of the following classes: Biology, European History, and World History as well as three teachers of the outlines AP classes at School X. Initial results showed that there were not significantly different AP scores in the hybrid year when compared to "normal" school years (2015-2019), and although students preferred in-person learning to hybrid learning, they did not feel as if it significantly hindered their performance in AP classes. Therefore, the conclusion can be made that although in-person learning is preferable to hybrid learning, it does not have a significant negative impact on AP classes; however, this is limited to students of AP classes and those who had a similar hybrid learning experience to School X. Future research should explore how the hybrid learning program impacted non-AP students as well as performing this study on larger populations to verify results.