From emergency remote to hybrid education: Instructor insights on engagement and social presence across teaching modalities

Maintaining student engagement in online learning environments remains a persistent challenge, as digital platforms often fail to replicate the social dynamics and motivation that characterize effective face-to-face instruction. This qualitative study examines whether hybrid learning models can address these engagement deficits by investigating how face-to-face and online components interact in English language preparatory programs. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews with nine instructors in Turkish universities who taught across three distinct periods: pre-pandemic face-to-face, emergency remote education, and post-pandemic hybrid instruction. The analysis involved thematic analysis from the lens of Self-Determination Theory and Social Presence Theory, yielding three themes: mitigation of transactional distance, satisfaction of psychological needs, and modality orchestration. Findings reveal a pattern of “reciprocal reinforcement” in which face-to-face sessions satisfy the need for relatedness and foster social presence, thereby reducing transactional distance in subsequent online sessions, while online sessions provide flexibility and continuity. This foundation shifts student participation from compliance toward autonomous, voluntary engagement: students in hybrid settings transferred interpersonal bonds from physical classrooms to digital environments, which neutralizes the isolation typical of online instruction. However, for reciprocal reinforcement to occur, institutional support and clear communication are required. The study suggests that face-to-face sessions should strategically be designed for community-building while online components work for flexible content delivery, rather than treating modalities as interchangeable formats. Findings indicate that hybrid instruction may better serve learners’ intrinsic motivational needs than monolithic online delivery, though longitudinal and student-centered research is needed to confirm these patterns.