Guidance for Hyflex Learning

What is Hyflex learning?

Hyflex learning is an instructional delivery mode that blends both the physical and virtual classroom. The model was developed by Brian Beatty and his colleagues at San Francisco State University. This approach provides students flexibility as it allows them a choice in place, path and pace of learning. Students can join the class in person, online synchronous (e.g., Zoom), or asynchronously online.

Four principles or "pillars" guide this learning mode:

• Learner choice: Enable students to select their place, mode and pace of participation

• Equivalency: Provide learning activities to support the same learning outcomes, regardless of delivery mode.

• Reusability: Artifacts used in each delivery mode are made available for all students (e.g., recordings, discussion transcripts, handouts).

• Accessibility: Equip students with technology skills and equitable access to all participation modes.

Recommended Practices for Instructors:

• Host all content on the Learning Management System (e.g., Brightspace/D2L) regardless of delivery mode.

• Consider the engagement of all students by designing activities that, while may not be identical, are equivalent in meeting student learning outcomes.

• Seek to build community regardless of delivery mode, using ice breaker activities and student groups for assignments as appropriate.

• Be prepared for the reality that you may not know which or how many students will show up in the face-to-face or synchronous classroom on any given class session. Design learning activities accordingly.

• Have a communication plan so students know how to make comments, ask questions and also how and when to reach you outside of scheduled class time.

• Establish a back channel discussion room, on Zoom or on the LMS/D2L for incidental issues (e.g., students who arrived late and want to know what they missed)

• Delegate tasks to students (e.g., alert you to new chats and postings in discussion forum)

• Pay attention to all students, those online (synchronously or asynchronously) as well as the students in person.

• Record every session and make this available on the LMS/D2L for students who choose an asynchronous delivery mode. Please see more information about this under "Steps."

• If the synchronous mode is delivered on Zoom, consider using the one-screen grid to see up the largest number of students at one time.

• Establish a set of expectations at the beginning of your course. The following are some considerations:

  • Will students have their cameras off or on and under what conditions?

  • Will student be required to use their headphones, earbuds?

  • Will students want to have a virtual background set up in the video conference environment?

  • Will students in the video conference environment want to set up a light source that allow them to be well lit?

  • Will students in the video conference environment be able to find a quiet, distraction-free environment?

  • How will the instructor acknowledge students who offer a question or comment (e.g., raise hand with emoji, chat box, etc)?

  • Will students be allowed to use the chat box for private interactions?

  • How will student drop in/office hours be handled?

• Ensure you are proficient in the use of both synchronous and asynchronous digital tools, including the LMS before taking on the Hyflex learning environment.

Steps

1. Prepare your LMS/D2L site. Use the guidance provided on the What to Do When page. Include information on technology requirements (e.g., webcam, headset,microphone).

2. Visit your in person classroom prior to the start of the semester so that you can get comfortable with the Hyflex room technology, including how to connect your laptop to the equipment, if necessary.

3. Inform your students about the expectations for the Hyflex learning environment prior to the first class meeting using the LMS/D2L Announcement, email and Activity Feed features. You will want to provide a link to your virtual session (e.g., Zoom) as well as information about anything they need to do in advance. (A class agenda is helpful to share prior to each class session.)

4. If you are altering synchronous (in person or via video conference) with asynchronous meetings, communicate to students which meetings take place on which dates/weeks/modules.

5. On the day of your class session, prepare your technology needs by doing the following:

   • power up the classroom projector and desktop computer or connect the Hyflex equipment cart

   • log in to the instructor workstation and launch the video conference platform (e.g., Zoom)

   • adjust in-room web camera

   • test the audio, video and screen-sharing options

   • preload any files you will need to share (be sure these files are also available on the LMS/D2L

   • set up any groups/breakout groups in Zoom or the LMS/D2L

   • clear your desktop of unnecessary files, browser tabs or open applications( and ensure you do not have any confidential or private information visible when you share your screen)

6. On the day of your class session, prepare your learning environment by doing the following:

   • greet in person and remote students

   • remind remote students to mute their microphones until they are ready to speak

   • remind in person students who are also connecting to the video conference platform to mute their speakers to avoid echo and audio feedback

   • share your screen, camera or application windows to ensure content is available to remote and in person students

   • monitor attendance if you are requiring students to attend synchronously

   • record your session. It is good practice to inform students as the live session begins that the class session is being recorded. Please see the next bullet point.

   • Assuring privacy among faculty and students engaged in online and face-to-face instructional activities helps promote open and robust conversations and mitigates concerns that comments made within the context of the class will be shared beyond the classroom. As such, recordings of instructional activities occurring in online or face-to-face classes may be used solely for internal class purposes by the faculty member and students registered for the course, and only during the period in which the course is offered. Students will be informed of such recordings by a statement in the syllabus for the course in which they will be recorded. Instructors who wish to make subsequent use of recordings that include student activity may do so only if all student activity is removed from the recording. Recordings including student activity that have been initiated by the instructor may be retained by the instructor only for individual use. If the recording is instructor-only and does not contain any student information such as name, voice, image, then the recording may be shared with students in the course and posted on the LMS.

   • be sure to stop recording when students are moving into group work; Consider what essential content might be missed for students who are only accessing instruction asynchronously and find a way to share comparable content with them.

7. During class sessions, here are general suggestions:

   • encourage students to test their microphone, web camera and speakers at the start of the class

   • review classroom norms and those specific to the Hyflex learning environment

   • look into the camera when addressing remote learners and speak into the microphone

   • encourage students to say their names when they make a comment or ask a question

   • repeat questions and comments that are said in class to your remote learners

   • be sure video conference students share as well as in person students

Lesson Example

Online Synchronous Instruction

Content

• streamed live from the classroom using cameras and microphones

• content should be captured and shared in the LMS/D2L

Engagement

• students share video and audio from their remote location with instructor and other students who are in the in-person classroom

• include interaction opportunities for students with the content, students with the instructor, and students with students

• use groups where students support one another and share experiences with the entire class

• when using groups, provide clear instructions about what your groups should be doing and set a timer or clear time limits as to when the activity will end. Use structured roles when possible to ensure accountability in collaborative group work

Assessment

• is similar to that used with in person students and always includes specific criteria for evaluation

• includes formally graded demonstrations of learning (e.g., reports, presentations, quizzes, authentic learning projects)

• includes informal assessment of learning on the Zoom platform (e.g., polls, Jamboard, chat box, uploaded docs)

Online Asynchronous Instruction

Content

• delivered via the LMS/D2L regardless of learning mode

• multiple forms of representation for content (e.g., text, video, audio)

• some content may be generated by students (e.g., discussion forums)

• content from synchronous classes should be captured and shared in the LMS/D2L

Engagement

• include interaction opportunities for students with the content, students with the instructor, and students with students

• discussion forums can meet the purpose of student-to-student interactions, but must include variations so students will find them motivating and meaningful (.e.g., debates, roundtables, etc).

• instructor and/or students should facilitate discussions forums

• use the Groups feature on LMS/D2L (e.g., social annotation activities, google docs)

• communicate with students outside of regularly scheduled class meetings

• use the Announcements and Activity Feed LMS/D2L features to provide timely reminders before and after sessions about assignments, due dates, etc.

Assessment

• is similar to that used with in person students and always includes specific criteria for evaluation

• formally graded demonstrations of learning (e.g., reports, presentations, quizzes, authentic learning projects)

• informal assessment of learning hosted on the LMS/D2L platform

• consider use of peer assessment and self-assessment that supports continuous improvement and learning

• establish and monitor online discussion activities, in between synchronous meetings

• instructor must maintain a presence in the LMS/D2L environment and support students' learning there

Resources