The Converged Learning Model: Melding the Physical and Virtual Environments for Teaching and Learning Before, During, and After the Pandemic

We share, through this case study, how our converged learning model formed the basis for NJIT’s Pandemic Recovery Plan and describe mission while ensuring safety well-being of campus community, endured. Having proven successful on a small scale, was expanded, by necessity, to most freshman sophomore level classes in Fall 2020, with junior, senior, graduate courses added Spring 2021. Through modality, social distance could be maintained inviting only some students physically attend each class session others joined remotely, alternating invitations allow all opportunity person, enabling university remain open essentially throughout pandemic. Surveys captured student faculty perceptions technology mode informed adjustments, course evaluations assessed students’ modality. Results suggest that rapid expansion initially challenged both faculty, but second semester, because strategic planning investments, every measured outcome showed improvement.