Subquestion 3 - Flexible Learning Environments: Minoritized College Students’ Experiences in HyFlex

Subquestion 3 Going into this study, I had some expectations about why students take HyFlex courses. I
expected participants to have a wide range of reasons, such as needing flexibility, or the course
was not available in any other mode, and possibly some stating they had no idea the course was
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HyFlex until they attended the first class. Participant responses confirmed my expectations.
Some of them stated they needed flexibility to balance school with personal lives, others stated
the class(es) was only offered in HyFlex. One participant stated she had no idea she had signed
up for a HyFlex course until the instructor gave them the syllabus and explained how the class
would unfold. Another participant stated she read on the school’s website the class was HyFlex,
but she had no idea what that meant until she showed up the first day and the instructor
explained, and she began to attend online to avoid the commute to school.
Subquestion 4 HyFlex learning affords students the opportunity to attend and participate through their
choice of at least two paths to equivalent learning outcomes. Students can attend class in person
or online. The online path may be synchronous, asynchronous, or a combination of both,
depending on how the instructor designed the course. Most of this sample of participants
preferred to attend in person but cited various circumstances under which they have chosen to
participate online by necessity. Only one participant expressed preferring the online path, and if
possible, to participate fully asynchronously because he considered himself an extreme introvert
and often had to work at his own pace due to his work schedule interfering with scheduled
synchronous sessions and deadlines.
Implications of the Findings for Practice Although phenomenological studies are not concerned with generalizations, when
discussing their experiences, participants revealed some of the challenges they faced as college
students with personal lives. The usefulness of their insights comes from the truthfulness of their
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accounts as students in HyFlex courses. Taking the accounts of these participants to heart has led
me to these insights relating to implications for teachers:
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There is a need for faculty-led professional development specific for HyFlex.
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Teaching HyFlex is not for every teacher; it is okay to decline to teach HyFlex.
•
HyFlex learning is not for every student; help them find the mode that is best for
them.
•
HyFlex requires faculty to embrace technology and have a contingency plan.HyFlex
requires faculty to be digitally literate; staying up to date with education technology.
•
HyFlex requires students to be digitally literate; teach and point students to digital
literacy resources.
•
There is a need to advocate for strengthening HyFlex ecosystems with a suite of
student services online to mirror services available on campus.
•
Not all students have the technology needed for HyFlex; advocate for an internet and
technology loan program.
•
Some students will be techier than you are; do not fear them, welcome and engage
them.
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HyFlex courses need to be coded so they are easy to identify in the school catalog.
•
Some technologies work only on one operating system; as much as possible, avoid
using information communication technologies that are device-dependent or that
work only on one operating system.
•
Some students are not impressed with technology but seek to expand their critical
consciousness; consider culturally responsive pedagogies.
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•
Some students have disabilities that require the use of alternate media and
accommodations; be proactive about creating accessible content.