Breakout Sessions
Choose one breakout session to attend at 11:30 a.m. Eastern and a second breakout session to attend at 3:00 p.m. Eastern.
Scroll down further on this page to read more details about each breakout session.
Accessibility and Inclusion in the HyFlex Environment (First Aid for HyFlex)
For many of us, teaching HyFlex is a new experience. Perhaps we feel like we have slapped a Band-Aid on and kept teaching in this new environment while wondering if there were some better solutions. In this session, we will discuss inclusion and accessibility considerations for designing and implementing HyFlex learning experiences. Guided by the Accessibility Value of HyFlex Design, participants will be invited to join facilitators in brainstorming strategies to foster a community of learning for students through inclusive and meaningful activities that are suitable for all learning modalities. The takeaway from this session is an “Accessibility First-Aid Kit,” which will include a summary of the session’s discussion and resources for accessibility in HyFlex course design.
Facilitated by Sherri Parkins, Gina Catenazzo, and Lara McInnis, Seneca
This session does not run at 3:00 p.m.
Sherri Parkins is a Learning Strategist in Accessible Learning Services and a Professor in the Teaching & Learning Centre at Seneca.
Gina Catenazzo is an Instructional Designer in the Teaching & Learning Centre at Seneca.
Lara McInnis is a Professor in the Teaching & Learning Centre at Seneca.
Building a High Quality HyFlex Course: Applying a Quality Framework
With the move to HyFlex, faculty are tasked with designing a learning experience that can be delivered in multiple modes and it is more important than ever to 'get it right’ so that students have an engaging and inclusive learning experience that sets them up for success. But, how do you know what really makes up a well-designed high-quality HyFlex learning experience?
Join us as we explore the Seneca Quality Framework and how it can be used to aid in your HyFlex course design activities. In this session, you will learn about nine elements of quality in course design and how you can use the Seneca Quality Framework to build high-quality HyFlex learning experiences for your students regardless of the mode of delivery they choose to attend.
This session will provide participants the knowledge and skills to evaluate new or existing HyFlex courses through a quality lens and implement practical solutions to improve quality and enhance the overall learning experience for their students.
Facilitated by Karen Spiers and Anh Lam, Seneca
Karen Spiers is the Manager in the Teaching & Learning Centre at Seneca.
Anh Lam is the Project Manager, eLearning Specialist in the Teaching & Learning Centre at Seneca.
Early Lessons Learned: Implementing HyFlex into the Business-Agriculture diploma program at Algonquin College
The Business-Agriculture diploma program at Algonquin College piloted a HyFlex delivery in 2021-2022. The pilot success justified a full and permanent HyFlex implementation starting in the upcoming academic year. The program coordinator, Martin Savard, explains the justification for selecting HyFlex while sharing feedback on the required instructional design, assessments, technology, classroom management, and experiential learning. Preliminary student impact on engagement and attrition is discussed.
Facilitated by Martin Savard (Algonquin)
Martin Savard is the Coordinator of the Business - Agriculture program at Algonquin College.
Faculty HyFlex Success Stories
The best way to envision your own course through a HyFlex lens is by hearing from faculty using this innovative approach in their classrooms right now! How is it going for them? What’s working well, and what are students saying? We are very pleased to welcome a panel of exemplary faculty from a wide range of disciplines to share their stories with us. We will ask them each to walk us through a typical “day in the life” of their HyFlex class and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. Last, we’ll ask them each to share their favourite tip for new faculty about to step into a HyFlex class for the first time.
Facilitated by Laura Page (Seneca)
Speakers: Justin Boudreau (Seneca), Raghad Kamel (Seneca), Jared Breski (Seneca), Melanie Lefebvre (Cambrian), Jess Davidson (Seneca), Irina Yushvaeva (Seneca), and Kevin Kennedy (Seneca).
Justin Boudreau is a Professor in the School of Community Services at Seneca.
Raghad Kamel is a Professor in the School of Electronics and Mechanical Engineering at Seneca.
Jared Breski is a Professor in the School of Marketing at Seneca.
Melanie Lefebvre is a Coordinator and Professor in Community and Health Services Navigation at Cambrian College.
Jess Davidson in a Professor of Public Relations at Seneca.
Irina Yushvaeva is a Professor in the School of Fashion at Seneca.
Kevin Kennedy is a Professor in the School of Community Services at Seneca.
Moving Your Lesson Plan from In-person/Hybrid to HyFlex Delivery
In this session, participants will learn about and discuss methods, practices, and tools for adapting an existing in-person lesson plan for HyFlex teaching. Presenters will share strategies and consideration to engage learners in all three modalities to support an equivalent experience for all students.
Facilitated by David Vazquez-Abrams, Rocio Conde, and Gian Michele Pileri, Humber
David Vazquez-Abrams is a Professor, Program Coordinator, and an Innovative Learning Faculty Secondee at Humber College. Before joining Humber in 2014, he worked as a Graphic Designer and produced works for various industries across North America and Europe.
Rocio Conde is a Teaching and Learning Specialist at Humber College. She supports faculty in teaching and learning matters, course design, pedagogy, accessibility, Universal Design for Learning, and technology integration. Before coming to Humber, Rocio worked as a professional development facilitator for STEM Education and Curriculum Design with New York City Public Schools and as an English high school teacher in Caracas, Venezuela.
Gian Michele Pileri is the Educational Technologist Specialist at Humber College’s Centre for Innovative Learning. In his role he plays a pivotal part in supporting faculty in their exploration, experimentation, and use of educational technologies to support teaching and learning. Specifically, he works directly with faculty to identify and demonstrate how technologies can influence and supplement pedagogical approaches for teaching and learning in the digital age. With his combined education and experience, Gian supports faculty with new insights and usage scenarios, and provides personable and informed technology advice.
Terry's Top Ten Tips for HyFlex Delivery!
This session is based on first-hand faculty experience through a HyFlex pilot program. Attendees will enjoy an informal and interactive session with practical tips on how to prepare and execute HyFlex course delivery.
Facilitated by Terry Pruner, Centennial College
Terry Pruner is a Professor in the Centre for Legal and Administrative Studies at Centennial College.
Prior to his teaching career, Terry worked as a management consultant in marketing and information technology. Then 15 years ago, Terry began his teaching career when he was recruited by Seneca's Centre for Financial Services. More recently, Terry served as a program coordinator at Centennial College and continues to teach in the Centre for Legal and Administrative Studies. When the pandemic began, Terry was working with others to pilot a 'Bring Your Own Device Program" which naturally led to roles in the development of synchronous and asynchronous online learning and HyFlex delivery.
Transcription or Fiction: Examining our Stewardship of AI and Accessibility
"Your mic is muted" echoes in the silence of virtual meetings around the globe, but for many, this statement falls well short of accommodating individual barriers to verbal communication. Despite the chaos of our recent history, we now have powerful tools at our fingertips to capture live interactions and transform them into more accessible modes of expression. With such power comes a responsibility to assume stewardship over their administration, facilitating equitable and inclusive access for all members of our community.
In this session, we will examine our current practices for supporting accessibility in virtual meeting spaces to identify where and when we depend upon these tools. We will then play with a number of common transcription services in parallel to gain deeper insight into their behaviours and quirks. Throughout this process we will maintain an open discourse guided by the primary points of dependence identified when examining our current practices. As playing with the tools starts to lose its fun, we will transition into a collaborative problem-solving exercise with the goal of identifying paths forward to best practice.
Facilitated by Andrew Mayne, Durham College
Andrew Mayne is a Faculty in Computer Programmer [Analyst] Programs, School of Business, IT & Management, at Durham College
Virtual Fieldtrip to a Seneca HyFlex Classroom
Immerse yourself as a student in our Virtual Fieldtrip to a Seneca HyFlex Classroom. Join us as in a class lesson using different technologies and tools to help build engagement and collaboration.
Facilitated by David Trinh and Alex Venis, Seneca
This session does not run at 11:30 a.m.
David Trinh is a Professor in the School of Information Technology Administration and Security at Seneca.
Alex Venis is an Instructional Designer in the Teaching & Learning Centre at Seneca.