23.3 Tools to Support HyFlex

Getting Started

To start to consider these values in the context of a HyFlex course or session you would teach, the following worksheets from Beatty’s monograph Links to an external site. may be useful:

Recommended Worksheets:

  • "Analyze and Confirm or Modify Expected Student Learning Outcomes" (Figure 1.4.2 in Beatty, 2019) can help you define learning objectives that apply to all students, whether they are in-person or online.
  • "Plan Student Learning Activities" (Content and Interaction) (Figure 1.4.3 in Beatty, 2019) can help you start to think about learning activities that would map to those objectives for each group of students.

 

 HyFlex Class Setup

Each class at every college is setup differently. HyFlex setups vary widely. Classes can run in rooms outfitted with video conferencing installations, but can also run in more typical classrooms using podium projectors and student laptops or tablets.

Essential HyFlex Equipment:

  • Video conference software such as Zoom, generally connects in-person and remote students to the synchronous class, as illustrated in Figure 1.
  • Microphone(s) to catch what you/on-ground class is saying.
  • Cameras in the on-ground classes.
  • (Optional) TV screen or projector to project student.

 

Fig. 1: Illustration of basic HyFlex setup.

 

A typical HyFlex set-up for lecture classes, in which information flows primarily from the instructor to students, entails two cameras and distributed microphones, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3.

Fig. 2: A lecture-oriented HyFlex setup, centering on an instructor presenting to students.

 

Fig. 3: A touch panel for the HyFlex setup in Figure 2 allows the instructor to toggle between pre-sets for camera A, the camera trained on the front of the room, and camera B, which provides remote students a view of their in-person peers.

 

 HyFlex: General Guidance

Key Recommendations for Effective HyFlex Classes:

  • Preparatory guidance for both instructors and students ahead of the HyFlex course on ways of creating and maintaining community.
  • Flexibility for when technology fails or students have difficulty with access.
  • Designation of a dedicated TA or student associate to assist with technology and chat monitoring during the class session, to lessen the cognitive load on the instructor.
  • Consideration of setting up camera views to give remote participants a sense of participating in the class, in addition to viewing the instructor or slides.