What Is Hyflex?
SUNY uses the SIRIS definition: “[Hyflex] Combines online and face-to-face instruction simultaneously into one single course section, with the mode of direct instruction determined by each individual student. Students are able to choose how to participate in any given class meeting – online or face-to-face.” (Beatty, 2006)
This means that students may attend in-person; online (remote) synchronously; or online asynchronously and those choices are left up to the student for each class session.
Why Hyflex?
- Flexibility for students in choosing what modality best fits their needs, allowing them to vary how they meet course expectations according to family and external responsibilities and limitations. Student choice may increase the institution’s ability to attract, engage, retain, and successfully graduate students;
- Opportunity to interact with in-person and synchronous remote participants in real time, keeping the class community intact and dynamic;
- Potentially reduce the costs and complexities of online proctoring solutions (often used in fully online courses) by incorporating in-person testing;
- Increase global Twenty-First Century work skills as students gain proficiency in using multimodal technology, including practicing professionalism for mixed in-person/remote teamwork;
- Ability to quickly pivot to fully remote learning and teaching in an emergency situation.
Is Your Course a Candidate for Hyflex?
Good Candidates are:
- Courses in which assessments, activities, and resources are aligned with the course’s Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs);
- Courses that have few or no accessibility issues;
- Courses that may be easy to multitask. During a Hyflex class session, the instructor’s work will include attention to students in the classroom simultaneous with those in the remote environment, manipulation of equipment, and attention to activities underway;
- Courses that can be delivered in three modalities;
- Courses with students who have the necessary time management and technology skills.
How do I get started?
Talk to your Chair and/or Dean about developing your course into a Hyflex offering; the TRC has resources about Hyflex to share with you!