117
listen to it after class if you need to . . . if you’re like an hour late. Or, if you are sick or
something you know what I mean? . . . Like you can just . . . there’s so
many possibilities
it really broadens what original online classes used to be, or even face to face to now it
makes it like way easier and way bigger and the possibilities are larger.
Although Josephine pointed out the obvious convenience of being able to watch videos to catch
up asynchronously, she also pointed out the synchronous interactions that were made possible
when a HyFlex course was designed according to the guiding principles of the model. The
instructor’s planning for equivalency between the learning paths required a UDL approach to
create congruency between the paths. This appeared to have been the case in Josephine’s
experience as she described an experience that integrated the online and in-person paths in
manner that was conducive to interaction and came across as cohesive and authentic to the
students. She said:
I don’t think necessarily like as . . . I don’t think it makes a difference as a woman. I think
if anything, there’s an advantage to it. Because if you’re like a nervous person, or if you
were taught not to
speak up, you can type it instead. And have that be in like a chat rather
than like in a physical like being uncomfortable in a physical setting to speak to your
classmates or to your teacher . . . and I like that the people who are learning from home
can actually be on the class from at home, I like being able to still see them . . . like
interacting like you would in a regular classroom on even if they’re on the screen like in
bed . . . because the way he [the instructor] does it, it’s really nice so like the when he
puts it up on the big screen like helping on a big whiteboard behind them, and you can
see everyone’s like web camera and like chat messages in with the class which is nice . . .
118
he records himself and like I tuned in last week’s my kids were sick and like you’re on
the screen with them, and when I type things into the chat he acknowledges them [her
comments in the chat] in class . . . it’s, it’s like being in class but also not having to
physically there.
Through
application of UDL, principles instructors and course designers can embed create
access and equivalency throughout the HyFlex learning environment. UDL entails creating
multiple means of engagement, representation, and action and expression (CAST, 2018; Davis et
al., 2021; Hromalik et al., 2019). The interplay of those UDL principles results in access and
equivalency because of the multiple means available to students. Naturally, students perceive
these affordances in a positive manner as Isabel explained:
The best thing about HyFlex? I think one of the best things about HyFlex is that
information is presented in many ways. So I am . . . so I can see it in all the ways, and
then I can choose how to repeat the same way over and over again. Right? It’s I can
choose to see my class debate over you know, certain parts like . . . I will . . . for
example, having a discussion [at some point during] in a 2-hour class, and I really like
when we talk and I want to know more I will be like, okay, we are at 1 hour and
a half
into the class. I put… Okay, we watch 1 hour and a half and then I got to the record and I
watch those 10 minutes. I was like okay, I’ll do it. Again. Did I miss something? Oh,
okay. You know, because I like that.
Isabel was referring specifically to the ability write down the time and use those notes as a time
stamp to come back to later and play the recording to review or to catch up on anything she may
have missed online or in-person. Vasiliki also had a good experience in her HyFlex courses due
119
to the multiple means of engagement, representation, and action and expression her courses
afforded her. She said:
Other than that, I it’s convenient. Yeah! I would say that the, the good . . . the balance of
providing all the content in
digital form and you know, the presentations from the
instructors and the live communication, the synchronous communications that we have,
that’s the best . . . this is, it’s a great balance, I wouldn’t feel that it’s very effective to
be . . . you know, in front of an instructor and listen to a lecture and that’s it. So we
have . . . we have many resources that we can access online . . . either print them out . . .
so we have all the options. So that’s good!
HyFlex learning does offer benefits for students who are mothers. Among these three
participants, the most popular feature was flexibility to choose their mode of attendance and
participation. The second most important feature they discussed was the use of UDL principles
in the course design. Participants did have some thoughts about how to improve the HyFlex
experience. Those insights are presented in the next subsection.
