ESU Flex
Live digital classes, no matter your location
What is ESU Flex?
ESU Flex is based upon the concept of HyFlex education. Pioneered at San Francisco State University, the "hybrid flexible course format is an instructional approach that combines face-to-face (F2F) and online learning. Each class session and learning activity is offered in-person, synchronously online, and asynchronously online. Students can decide--for each class or activity--how to participate." (Educause Learning Initiative, 7 Things You Should Know About the HyFlex Course Model.)
So how does HyFlex work?
In a HyFlex class, "All participants--irrespective of how they choose to join--must have equitable access to the learning resources, the instructor and one another." (ELI, 7 Things.) This means that all educational materials need to be available online and that students must have the ability to communicate with each other, either via audio or written chat options.
This can be fairly simply accomplished for the F2F and online synchronous versions of the course. The challenge comes in including the asynchronous option. While an asynchronous option is great for students impacted by disruptions (natural disasters, weather closures, instructor absences, or the current pandemic), there is a lot of work that must be done ahead of time for the HyFlex model to be successful. "The technology and the curriculum must align, and the technology needs to work consistently for everyone, which requires testing and possibly new installations or upgrades." (ELI, 7 Things.)
What are the benefits of a HyFlex model?
Brian Beatty, acknowledged as the creator of the HyFlex model, said in a May 2020 blog post on Educause.edu, "A well-designed HyFlex class, with effective alternative participation modes that all lead to the same learning outcomes, can provide meaningful learning opportunities for all students." A HyFlex course reduce barriers to attendance caused by location, financial, or time-based constraints, illness, or disability, allowing for an increase in enrollment.
What's the difference between a hybrid and a HyFlex course?
If you've ever taught a hybrid course before, you've taken a step toward being familiar with the HyFlex model. There are six main kinds of hybrid courses that are explored more fully on our Hybrid Course Models page:
HyFlex combines the some remote delivery, mostly face to face hybrid model with a fully online, temporary model, with an added layer of communication between synchronous online and in-person students, as well as students who asynchronously join later.
For examples of successful hybrid courses, check out the example syllabi posted by Wichita State University, taken from The Blended Learning Toolkit from the University of Central Florida.
How do I use this website?
Obviously, most faculty aren't accustomed to teaching in this manner, so Learning Technologies has created this website and toolkit to help ease you into the process. If you participated in one of our JumpStart trainings, you've already been introduced to ESU's Quality Assurance template and the idea of quality online course design. From there, it's an easier jump to teaching using the HyFlex method.
If you haven't attended a JumpStart, consider participating in our Asynchronous JumpStart training hosted on Canvas, or at least read through the information and watch the videos contained therein. This will bring you up to speed on what you will need in order to effectively teach online.
Once you're familiar with the basics, peruse the ESU Flex Faculty Toolkit located above, take a look at Learning Tech's Online Learning Toolkit, and check out our calendar of trainings.