The Teaching & Learning Center

Examine Your Learning Goals

Design an Asynchronous Course First

Beatty (2019) recommends that faculty develop a fully remote course before considering a HyFlex classroom. By doing this faculty have a clear online framework to suit the needs of all students.

“Thay way you have:

• One modality completed
• A course that is the best-fit option for emergency circumstances that minimizes reliance on real-time interaction and consistent internet access
• A clear look at alignment
• A results-focused design where learning outcomes drive the content and activities.
• A better idea of how instructional methods and learning activities will transfer across modalities” (Tietz & Simunich, 2020).

Review Instructional Methods to Identify Any Learning Deficits

For each instructional/learning objective, consider the instructional activities that achieve this. Reflect on the question: “What does the educator ‘do’ to facilitate student learning?” All learning activities must be equitable for all students, no matter their mode of learning. Some learning activities are more suitable for face-to-face instruction, compared to remote, and vice versa. Consider some of the tips for the classroom listed below before developing learning activities that cannot transfer between face-to-face and remote instruction (Tietz & Simunich, 2020).

Orient Your Students in the First Few Weeks

The students need to be made fully aware of the HyFlex learning goals and means before the start of the course. Consider sending out a "Welcome Letter" introducing yourself and the organization of the course to your students, informing them of your F2F attendance policies and situations for remote learning. You should clearly explain what is involved in a HyFlex Resilient Course (Tietz & Simunich, 2020). Encourage your students to ask questions during the first synchronous session but make an asynchronous Q&A platform available to them (D2L Watercooler Discussion). Students not only have to understand the course format but additionally, the technology involved. Gradually introduce all the EdTech used in the course. Be sure to have resources for tech support and more available to your students.

Consider Your Workload

“Designing and teaching a HyFlex course not only takes more development time upfront but also requires a skillset for using technology software and platforms. Knowledge of the institutional LMS (Learning Management System), web conferencing software, polling software, and quiz and/or proctoring software are required" (Tietz & Simunich, 2020). When there are so many moving parts to a course you will need to consider how you will break up your developmental and instructional time. Additionally, there is the consideration for the time you will be teaching face-to-face, recording instructional media, supporting students, providing tech assistance, and more. This might seem overwhelming but remember you will be adding a significant level of resilience to your course.

• Give students more responsibility
• Set policies for asking questions when remote (virtually raise hand rather than the chat)
• Set time-frames for checking the Zoom chat regularly (e.g., every 10 minutes)
• Test technology prior to class (audio, video, camera, etc.)

Facilitate structured group work

There are three possible ways of approaching group work in a resilient classroom:

• Have the in-person students form groups together in the classroom. While the in-person students are grouped, have the remote students move into Zoom breakout rooms. Each group is given a shared Word document to work in so you can monitor participation among all students.
• Divide the remote students so that there is at least one in each of the small groups with the in-person students. By doing this you are not limiting the collaboration between in-person and remote students. Again, use a shared Word document so everyone has access to it, and you can monitor participation.
• Using both the first and second approaches. By taking advantage of both group structures in the same class period the remote students can work with not only each other and it fosters a greater sense of community. For example, begin class in separate remote and in-person groups discussing the course reading(s) with guided questions (each group with a different reading). Then, re-divide into mixed groups for a greater cross-reading discussion.

Encourage a continued discussion using text chat

Alongside spoken discussions in the classroom encourage your students to take the discussion onto an online text chat platform, such as D2L Discussions, Microsoft Teams, Slack, or Discord. Not only does text chat provide an alternative opportunity for online students to participate in the discussion without speaking aloud, but it also is useful to maximize participation for students not comfortable speaking out. Press Enter to add more content

Incorporate collaborative notetaking

Set up a shared Word Document in OneDrive or SharePoint to allow students to work as a class or in small groups to take collaborative notes for the class section. This promotes active listening and building collaborative work skills. You can also allow students to designate a “notetaker” who might not be required to actively participate in the class discussion but will be working to write up the main points of the conversation. The rest of the students will be listening and participating in the class discussion. By doing this you will be addressing a possible problem where some students might not be heard, or cannot hear others, but all will have access to the class notes during/following.

Try HyFlex pair-work

Set-up partner activities and discussions where one in-person student is paired with a remote student. Have the students in the classroom join a Zoom breakout session with headphones/earbuds, so as not to distract other students in their pairs. This allows the remote students to still feel a part of the classroom community and builds more collaboration skills.

Use live polling

By using live polling platforms, including built-in features in Zoom, or Poll Everywhere, all students’ voices are being heard, not only those physically in the classroom.

Provide opportunities for student leadership

Not only is it great getting students more involved in leadership roles in the classroom, but it additionally allows you, as the instructor, to focus your attention more evenly on all students (in-person/online) and possibly solve any issues that arise.

• Student monitors chat boxes.
• Students organize and communicate with one another if information is missed.
• Students set up zoom meetings for remote learners to attend class.

Encourage physical movement

For all students: make X with arms, raise hands, or other clear gestures. Additionally, plan stretch breaks for all students, remote and in-person.

Consider accessibility

In hybrid models, special attention needs to be paid to issues of access: mixed modes of presentation, the readability of digital materials, how to handle hearing or visual impairments in physically distanced environments, or when online students are watching, etc. These considerations are important to examine both for the digital materials and environments you are using, as well as for the in-person discussions and activities.

• Office of Digital Learning and Innovation Distance Education Support
  • Distanceed@wcupa.edu
  • 610-436-3373
• Information Services and Technology Service Now
  • Submit a Help Desk Request
  • 610-436-3350
• D2L Technical Support
  • Submit a Ticket
  • 1-866-832-1851
• Explain to students how to access the institution’s accessibility services and be responsive to learners who need assistance in accessing digital course materials.
  • Office of Educational Accessibility

Think about UDL (Universal Design for Learning)

Thinking about UDL (Universal Design for Learning) as a part of HyFlex Learning. Brain Beatty spoke with “Think UDL” to discuss HyFlex Learning while considering accessible learning and universal design for learning principles in a podcast episode: “HyFlex Course Design with Brian Beatty.”

Provide digital course materials

Consider making all course materials accessible via your D2L site so that F2F and remote learners can access the information prior, during, or following synchronous sessions. This allows remote learners to view used PowerPoints on their own devices in case they miss information during a hybrid session. Consider recording your zoom sessions so that students who were remote can refer to it later, those who missed course due to illness, etc. can catch-up on missed information, and F2F students have reference materials. If recording, make sure to get the consent of your students to do so.