Teaching in a Classroom with HyFlex

WHAT IS HYFLEX?

HyFlex, short for Hybrid-Flexible, is a course design method and teaching approach that was designed to better accommodate student needs by combining online and classroom-based components. Its beginnings are credited to the Instructional Technologies (ITEC) graduate program at San Francisco State University, where instructors were looking for ways to make their courses more accessible to students who could not attend in person while still maintaining a traditional classroom component. Their solution: create class content and material that could be accessed either in the classroom or online and allow students the flexibility to choose their learning path.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Essentially, instructors should prepare content adapted for both classroom and online learning environments. In other words, all learning material should equally address and support learning outcomes, regardless of the delivery medium. This way, whether a student attends class in a face-to-face environment, remotely through their computer, or by watching a recording if a recording is available, the learning objectives and results will remain equivalent.

The Pedagogy and Activities page of this site walks you through key considerations and offers tips and tricks for teaching in a classroom with HyFlex technology. The first section covers how to simultaneously manage and administer class to the two separate learning environments. The second section touches upon important strategies for instruction and engagement, and the third section goes over how to plan, design, and deliver assessments for your HyFlex class(es). The final sections on the page cover accessibility and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and offer additional support and information.

WHAT DOES A CLASS USING HYFLEX TECHNOLOGY LOOK LIKE?

In a lecture that utilizes HyFlex technology, an instructor addresses both the in-person and remote learner audiences at the same time. Remote learners may join live, or they may watch a recording if the instructor provides that option. Effectively teaching both groups means that special attention must be given to the technology used to present your lecture material so that all students have equitable access to the content.

Content from this page is credited to the University of Florida Center for Instructional Technology and Training https://citt.ufl.edu/resources/teaching-in-a-classroom-with-hyflex/hyflex-class-checklist/