HyFlex
HYFLEX
This page provides more information about the HyFlex teaching modality. We also recommend that you sign up for our ongoing self-paced, asynchronous program, Get Up to Speed with HyFlex Teaching. In the course you will learn about the different types of HyFlex courses along with best practices for preparing, creating, and facilitating HyFlex courses. The focus will be on the teaching strategies that will help you best develop and deliver HyFlex courses.
- What is HyFlex?
- What are the Types of HyFlex Courses?
- What Isn’t HyFlex?
- What technology is included in a HyFlex classroom?
- Can anyone teach a HyFlex course?
- What professional development is available?
- What Are CSUN Faculty Saying About HyFlex?
- New to HyFlex or Need HyFlex Support?
1. What is HyFlex?
HyFlex is a mash-up of the words "Hybrid" and "Flexible" and is used to describe a course that is taught from a traditional classroom equipped with the technology needed to engage with students who are present in the room, synchronously online, or accessing the session asynchronously online. In other words, it is a hybrid of different delivery modalities (and can combine just two or do all three).
The flexible part of HyFlex can also vary and can range from offering students maximum flexibility to "attend" class in any of the delivery modalities at any point, to allowing only occasionally switching of modalities, to assigning students to a particular modality for the semester.
This video was created for the 2021-2 HyFlex Pilot and has a good description of the HyFlex format:
2. What are the Types of HyFlex Courses?
Traditional HyFlex Course
A traditional HyFlex course designs each class session and all learning activities in a way that can be done in-person, synchronously online, and asynchronously online. In the course design, the instructor teaches in-person and also presents equivalent, though not necessarily identical, learning experiences that support student achievement of learning outcomes outside of the in-person experience.
Roomers & Zoomers HyFlex
Roomers & Zoomers HyFlex focuses on the synchronous aspects of instruction and includes options for students to attend in person on campus ("roomers") or synchronous online ("Zoomers"). In this HyFlex scenario, all students are "attending" class at the same time synchronously but from different places. Any asynchronous activities are done by both groups of students and do not replace "attending" synchronous class in-person or online.
3. What Isn’t HyFlex?
There are a number of different modalities of teaching and learning which describe how the course is delivered. Within these modalities, there are different ways to implement and combine to deliver instruction. The basic types are:
- Traditional In-Person
- Hybrid/Blended
- Online (Fully or Campus Online)
- HyFlex
HyFlex courses can incorporate parts of all the different modalities but what makes it HyFlex is that students are "attending" class in different ways while having equivalent experiences. Regardless of how many modalities you combine, some students will be in class and some will be online, either synchronously or asynchronously.
Hybrid vs HyFlex
Hybrid and HyFlex sound similar and are sometimes confused. A Hybrid course splits the modality for students "attending" classes for the whole class as a unit. Typically this is a 50/50 split, with students meeting on one day (either in person or synchronously online) and then working asynchronously online for the equivalent of the other day, instead of meeting.
A HyFlex class can be combined with Hybrid by making the class meeting time available both in-person and online synchronously. The key to it being HyFlex is that students are "attending" class differently, some in-person and some online. Most commonly this is done in the "Roomers & Zoomers" format so the meeting time is synchronous but can be done in the "Traditional HyFlex" format if some students meet and others are doing equivalent asynchronous work. The key that makes it HyFlex is the "flexible", where students "attend" class in different ways.
4. What technology is included in a HyFlex classroom?
CSUN has a number of classrooms outfitted with the technology needed to conduct a HyFlex class session. HyFlex classrooms are equipped with a(n):
- Projector
- Instructor-space facing camera
- Student-space facing camera
- Computer pre-equipped with Zoom
- Document camera
- Podium control panel
- Microphone and speakers so faculty and students can interact in real-time with synchronous online students
To learn more about which rooms have been upgraded to HyFlex and other details about the technology, visit the CSUN IT HyFlex webpage.
5. Can anyone teach a HyFlex course?
It is important that anyone teaching using a HyFlex modality be in communication with your department chair. All HyFlex courses should have an official course designation in SOLAR so that students can clearly understand the expectations for learning and engaging.
6. What professional development is available?
Before even considering teaching using a HyFlex modality, we recommend that faculty ensure they first have a solid base in both online teaching effectiveness and technology.
Online Teaching Effectiveness
If you are newer to teaching in online spaces, we recommend that you concurrently enroll in our Get Up to Speed with Online Teaching self-paced, asynchronous program. For further information on effective teaching, we recommend you check out the evidence-based resources, tips, and strategies in our areas of this FacDev Teaching Toolkit
Technology Skill Building
Equally important is gaining a strong understanding of how to use technology and to level up your technical skills by attending Canvas and Zoom workshops or self-paced programs through the Faculty Technology Center. We also recommend you take advantage of the resources that IT Classroom support provides so you can learn how to use the HyFlex Classroom Technology.
Get Up to Speed with HyFlex Teaching
To learn specifically about teaching HyFlex courses, sign up for this ongoing self-paced, asynchronous program. As you go through the course you will learn about the different types of HyFlex courses along with best practices for preparing, creating, and facilitating HyFlex courses. The focus will be on the teaching strategies that will help you best develop and deliver HyFlex courses.
7. What Are CSUN Faculty Saying About HyFlex?
Watch this video with CSUN faculty, Ellen Stohl, Links to an external site. and learn how she has navigated engagement between students in class and on Zoom simultaneously.
Watch CSUN faculty Joyce Marie Bruscasco Links to an external site. explaining her design decisions using Canvas Home Page for weekly updates, pre-recorded lectures and a Run of Show tool she uses to map the structure of her synchronous class components.
8. New to HyFlex or Need HyFlex Support?
If you are new to HyFlex or currently use the HyFlex course format and need support, please contact:
Dominic Little
Lead, Classroom Technology and Media Support
dominic.little@csun.edu
Phone: 818/677-4799