Principles of HyFlex learning design

What is it?

According to Beatty (2019), the HyFlex model is underpinned by four principles.

• Learner Choice – Learners choose the mode of engagement that works for them.
• Equivalence – The modes (f2f synchronous, online synchronous and asynchronous) provide equivalent learning outcomes.
• Reusability – All artifacts (e.g. materials, resources, recordings of tutorials etc.) can be used in all delivery modes.
• Accessibility – Universal design principles embedded in course design to ensure equality of access.

These four principles can be used to guide your decisions as you build your Hyflex-based unit.

How do I do it?

Learner choice

Learner choice in the HyFlex model refers to the ability of students to choose their preferred mode of engagement with the course of study. Patterns of study might include synchronous online followed by asynchronous learning or a combination of all three modes during a semester.

Key tips:

• Enable students to choose between participation modes – alternatives must be meaningful
• Choice of participation mode is essential

Equivalence

This refers to providing students with equivalent (as much as this is possible) learning experiences across the three teaching modalities. At the level of learning objectives, this means that reference to teaching mode should generally be omitted and learning activities should be designed to provide students with opportunities to meet the learning objectives regardless of the teaching mode. For example, although it is clear that the level of interaction is qualitatively different in asynchronous discussions, students should be encouraged to engage with topics and concepts and to interact with their peers to discuss different viewpoints and perspectives.

Key tips:

• Alternative modes of participation should lead to equivalent learning outcomes.
• Equivalence does not mean equality – learning activities need to be designed so that learning outcomes are met.

It is likely that designing asynchronous learning activities to meet the level of equivalence will be the most challenging aspect of the learning design process.

Reusability

Meeting this principle ensures that all learning materials are provided to students in a timely fashion. This can include written material, lecture material, links to external resources or links to learning activities.

Key tips:

• Remember to record class discussions so they can be used as learning objectives for online or asynchronous students.
• Consider the artefacts resulting from classroom discussions to be made available for reflection and consideration by asynchronous students.

Accessibility

This refers to the broad goal of providing students with the skills to engage and fully participate in the three modes of participation.

Key tips:  

• Students need access to technologies and skills that enable them to make choices about their preferred modes of participation.
• Learning materials need to be accessible for all students. This includes providing transcripts for video material and text material should be screen-reader friendly.

Designing and planning content and activities for your HyFlex unit

It is important to consider the following when you are planning your unit.

Learning outcomes

In the design of learning outcomes, ensure that modes of delivery are not explicitly indicated. This will help to ensure that the learning outcomes can be measured without reference to the mode of delivery.

Learning material

Content

Consider focussing on the following:

• Concentrate on what you need to cover and not how you will deliver the content. Remember that HyFlex learning artifacts need to be able to be re-used across the three modalities.
• Provide relevant background material – how does the material relate to assessment tasks? Or how does the material relate to future topics in the unit?
• Clarify which concepts are important and which ones are supplementary.
• Provide examples of real-world contexts.
• Does your video material need any background information?  

Activities

Consider the full range of active learning strategies that you can use to engage your students. In mapping your learning activities to the modes of delivery, it is important to consider how the equivalence of learning outcomes can be maintained across the three delivery modes.

For example, a ‘think-pair share’ activity in face-to-face mode and online synchronous mode require traditional methods to pair students together. However, how can this activity be implemented for asynchronous students? Obviously, there will be an absence of the immediacy of dialogue associated with synchronous modes but consider how you might be able to rotate different pairs of students throughout the semester and establish the ground rules for participation in an asynchronous forum.

An example of a weekly HyFlex learning plan in action

Resources

Beatty, 2019. Available at https://edtechbooks.org/hyflex