SLN SOLsummit 2010 http://slnsolsummit2010.edublogs.org February 25, 2010 Bill Pelz, Professor of Psychology (1968) and Jane Verri, Assistant Professor of Psychology (2002), Herkimer County Community College Introducing: the Herkimer HyFlex! Two seasoned instructors at Herkimer County Community College are pioneering a new instructional design strategy which combines two current pedagogical trends in higher education: hybrid course design and heutagogy. * Hybrid course design: some portion of required class activity occurs within the classroom environment, the remainder occurs within the online environment. * Heutagogy: learners assume as much responsibility for determining their own learning conditions as possible (what to learn, how to learn, where to learn, when to learn, etc.) * HyFlex course design: all or most course learning activities are offered both in class and online. Learning activities can include content presentation (lecture / multimedia / PowerPoint / etc.) content engagement (class and small group discussion / group projects / research papers / etc.) and assessment (quizzes / exams / written assignments / etc.). Each learner determines for her/himself which environment to attend for each activity. The Herkimer Hyflex model utilizes two instructors who agree to team teach a double-enrollment section of students. These two instructors collaborate in the development of all course learning activities. One instructor assumes primary responsibility for synchronous face-to-face instruction, the other for asynchronous online instruction. Students are required to attend an initial face-to-face class meeting to receive some ANGEL training and review the class policies and procedures. Then, with the exception of a required mid-semester and end-of-semester face-to-face focus group class designed to allow students to express their thoughts about the course structure and content, each student is allowed to decide which learning environments (classroom, online, or both) to utilize for every graded learning activity.

1. The Herkimer HyFlex
Bill Pelz and Jane Verri
Keesha Lyon, Shana Mena, and Jacob Wi@er

2. HyFlex…
A new instrucFonal design strategy based
upon two current trends in higher educaFon:
hybrid course design and heutagogy.

3. Hybrid Course Design…
Some porFon of required class acFvity occurs
within the classroom environment, the
remainder occurs within the online
environment.

4. Heutagogy…
Learners assume some responsibility for
determining their own learning condiFons
(what to learn, how to learn, where to learn,
when to learn, etc.)

5. HyFlex design
All or most course learning acFviFes are
offered both in class and online:
– Content: lectures / mulFmedia / PowerPoint etc.
– Engagement: class and small group discussions /
group projects / research papers etc.
– assessment : quizzes / exams / wri@en
assignments etc.
Each learner decides which environment to
a@end for each acFvity.

6. Hyflex InstrucFonal Theory:
• 2006 ‐ Brian J Bea@y ‐ San Francisco State University
Paper: Designing the HyFlex World ‐ This paper described
the fundamental characterisFc of a HyFlex course to be a
flexible parFcipaFon policy for students.
• First Course: Graduate course in InstrucFonal Technology
• Four HyFlex Design Principles:
1. Learner Choice – students choose parFcipaFon mode
2. Equivalency – of learning acFviFes in all parFcipaFon modes
3. Reusability – use arFfacts from learning acFviFes in each mode
4. Accessibility – equip students with necessary technology skills

7. The Herkimer HyFlex
• Team Taught by 2 instructors
• Two secFons scheduled into one classroom
• 15 discrete learning acFviFes:
– 11 textbook chapter discussions
– 4 website reviews and discussions
• 4 Knowledge Audits:
– 4 objecFve exams
– 4 retrospecFve essays & discussions

8. Classroom / Online Equivalency
• Class discussions of student generated
quesFons from the textbook and website
readings
• Textbook resources are all online (Chapter
overviews, PowerPoint for each chapter, 1 or
more short movies per chapter)
• Exams may be taken in the classroom, online,
or both

9. Required Classroom AcFviFes
1/26/2010 – First Class
3/11/2010 – Focus Group #1
5/11/2010 – Focus Group #2

10. Required Online AcFviFes
20 Wri@en Assignments:
– 12 Chapter Discussion QuesFons
– 4 Website Reviews
– 4 RetrospecFve Essays
4 Online RetrospecFve Discussion Forums
3 feedback surveys

11. Learning Environment OpFonal
AcFviFes
11 textbook chapter discussions
4 website discussions
4 exams

12. Herkimer HyFlex Heutagogy:
Students determine where to learn,
– Classroom
– Online
– both
what to learn,
– Student’s post and discuss textbook content
quesFons
– Students select website’s to review and discuss
and how to learn.
– Use of opFonal mulFmedia learning resources

13. A tour of a Herkimer HyFlex Course
Introductory Psychology ‐ SS151‐HF1/HF2

14. HyFlex Classroom / Online A9endance
45
Classroom Online
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
27‐Jan 29‐Jan 3‐Feb 5‐Feb 10‐Feb 12‐Feb 17‐Feb 19‐Feb 24‐Feb 26‐Feb

15. Why S2010 HyFlex students
are probably not representaFve…
• HyFlex course approval took some Fme
– AdministraFon / Business Office / Union
• “Fees A@ached” noFce in course lisFng
• Class Fme: T‐R 3‐4:40 pm
– Last secFons to fill
• Hybrid course resistance from campus students
– Students who want online classes are in them!
• Not all students knew it was a hybrid course!

16. “Yes!” ‐ we do plan to offer a
HyFlex secFon again next fall!
Lessons learned so far…
1. Hold the first class in a computer lab to assure
technology access from day 1!
2. Develop video instrucFons for major assignments:
1. Discussion quesFons and chapter discussion forums
2. Website reviews and discussion forums
3. RetrospecFve essays and discussion forums
3. Require an early Office Hour consult for students
missing the mandatory Day 1 class session
4. Schedule the class between 10 am and 2 pm!

17. ObservaFons from parFcipants:
• Jacob Wi9er:
– Resident of Wellsville, New York
– Major: Liberal Arts Science‐General Studies
• Shana Mena:
– Resident of Bronx, New York
– Major: Liberal Arts Science‐Science
• Keesha Lyon:
– Resident of Richfield Springs, New York
– Major: Business‐Human Resource Management

18. QuesFons???