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HyFlex Learning
Developed in the instructional technologies graduate program at San Francisco State
University, HyFlex is an instruction delivery method that combines face-to-face and online
instruction and allows students to choose their participation mode for each class session. Beatty
(2019) defined HyFlex instruction as one that “enable[s] a flexible participation policy for
students whereby students may choose to attend face-to-face synchronous class sessions or
complete course learning activities online without physically attending class” (Introduction, para.
1). Each class session and associated activities are offered in person and at least one online
mode,
synchronous or asynchronous, but sometimes both. Students can choose how they wish to
attend each session (Beatty, 2007).
Equity
According to Beatty (as cited in International Observatory on the Societal Impacts of AI
and Digital Technology, 2020), in higher education, equity
means institutions, faculty, and other
systems working to provide all students the necessary financial, social, and academic support and
guidance they need to engage in the learning process. Beatty’s interpretation
of equity resonates
with the University of Southern California Center for Urban Education (n.d.) definition of the
term; they explained equity “refers to achieving parity in student educational outcomes,
regardless of race and ethnicity. It moves beyond issues of access and places success outcomes
for students of color at center focus” (para. 1). This means education leaders must strive to create
conditions where personal or social circumstances,
such as gender, ethnicity, or background,
should not be factors impeding achievement of a person’s academic potential (i.e., fairness) and
that all learners be given the opportunity to attain a set of high-level skills (i.e., inclusion)
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regardless of their specific circumstances (OECD, 2012). Depending on context, this dissertation
used the term equity interchangeably with student equity in reference to the desirable conditions,
described here, as a result of practices that create fairer access and equal learning outcomes for
enrolled and transitioning higher education students.
