Snapshot

Name and Title: Glenna Billingsley, Ph.D. – Associate Professor in Special Education
Class that will be showcased: SPED 5313 – Educating Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders
Is this an undergraduate or graduate class? Graduate
What is the size of the class? 20 students
Is there anything else we should know before we keep reading? This class meets once a week from 6:30 – 9:20pm. Before classes started, I asked students to choose which model they preferred. I told them that it was not a certainty that they would get the model they preferred, but I needed a starting point. Once I learned about the HyFlex model, I went with this model of instructional delivery. These were the choices I presented:

• Traditional – Attend all class sessions for the entire meeting time. All lessons, presentations, discussions are conducted in person; no virtual meetings. Canvas use only for Resources but not learning modules.
• Hybrid – Attend some class sessions for presentations, seminar, etc. but complete lesson modules asynchronously on Canvas; no virtual meetings.
• Block – Alternate class sessions with other students. Half of the class is present while the other half participate on Zoom. The next week, the other half come to in-person classes (e.g. some students will meet in person while others participate virtually at the same time via synchronous virtual meetings). Canvas use only for Resources but not learning modules. This became known as the HyFlex model.
• Virtual – Some learning activities are completed on Canvas, but most lesson content is delivered by synchronous, virtual meetings (Zoom).
• Distance Learning – Entire class is completed virtually and asynchronously (e.g. you do not attend class at all; no synchronous, virtual meetings; student presentations would be uploaded asynchronously).

My Class

I have been utilizing the HyFlex model this fall semester and doing fairly well. I have a class of 20 graduate students. From the initial survey, I learned that ten students did not want to be in person at all due to medical issues, concern for safety of family, or because all of their other classes were online and they did not want to move to San Marcos for one class.

I divided the class into three groups: Bobcats, Old Main, and LBJ group. The LBJ group is always virtual; these ten students do not ever come to class. Five students are in the Bobcat group and five students are in the Old Main group. These two groups alternate attending class in person. We use the new classroom technology (doc camera/microphone/camera) and Zoom with the two groups who are not in class.

One dimension that would not be possible without the HyFlex model is that in class time can be recorded for students who cannot attend class in person or via Zoom. This model has been great; in fact, we are including a student who is living and working in in north Texas. He is obviously one of the ten who do not come to campus. He is our “pilot” student to see if using this model would allow us to form a partnership with remote or rural school districts.

So far, with the exception of the night when a classroom computer totally died and three ITAC staff could not resuscitate it, things have been great. I believe in giving students choices about their own learning, and the HyFlex model allows students to make such choices. Some work is done asynchronously within Canvas modules. Class time can then be devoted to deeper application of learning via synchronous leaning using the HyFlex model. I feel my students have learned more and more deeply learned concepts than would be possible with only a traditional model.

How to make the most of a multimodal classroom – An Example

• I created a schedule of which students will be in person for each class meeting. I included it in they syllabus and the Home Page on Canvas.
• I created my expectations for both in person and Zoom participants and posted it in the syllabus.
• I created a dedicated Zoom page for the course for the whole semester to keep students from losing links. I also created an “Office Hours” Zoom link for the semester.
• During lesson preparation, I write questions that I will ask in class and use the roster to select which student will be asked to respond. It is even more important to do the planning work before class because it could be tempted to teach to only one group.
• By noon on the day of class, I post an announcement with objectives we will cover and links to handouts, which are also in the Canvas modules. I give them specific details of what we will do in class and in what order so either group knows if they will need their phone nearby, handouts, or previous notes, etc. I am very explicit about what I will do in class each session. I used to be much more spontaneous, but that doesn’t work for HyFlex models.
• I create a beginning of class activity, poll, or question for the chat box to get students thinking and talking about the content we will cover.
• All videos, PowerPoints, documents, etc. that I wish to share in class are uploaded onto my desktop prior to class. This does take a bit longer to do than it did when teaching in class, but sharing the screen for Zoom does take more time so the more things that are pre-prepared will save instructional time. I am still a bit clunky here and always ask students, “Are you seeing….” They can respond with Reaction emoticons.
• Right before class, I create an Attendance session on Canvas, set up the camera to show students’ tables, and open up the Zoom link. I immediately begin recording for students who cannot be in person or on Zoom. I share my screen so both groups of students can see the attendance code.
• I solicit a volunteer from the LBJ group to co-host so that they can admit students from the waiting room who arrive late or lost connectivity and have to sign back in, as well as monitor the chat for things I need to address.
• Within Zoom, I share my screen which projects onto the screen in class. In-person students can see the Zoom students as well as anything I project (document or slide deck). Zoom students can see my screen and can see their classmates via the camera. Students do have to speak a bit louder than normal so they can be heard by Zoom students.
• During class, I use signals to let students know when I want them to unmute so they can answer questions individually or in unison.
• I encourage back-channeling discussions using chat on Zoom while I am teaching or someone is presenting.
• I use as many active learning strategies as possible. I have students discuss things in breakout rooms and assign a person who will speak. Pre-assigning breakout groups helps save time also if random assignments are not desired. I allow students to screen share so they can present or show something relevant to the class. Both Zoom and in-person students can see all that is projected. I utilize instructional gaming like Kahoot, Factile, Quizlet, etc. that can be done synchronously using phones. I do include learning games in the asynchronous modules within Canvas as well. I am always in the market to learn more active teaching strategies.
• When assigning homework, I show them where directions, readings, rubrics, etc. are located within Canvas before ending class.

You’re probably wondering…

How do I handle academic integrity in my class?

Most of the assignments require students to apply and synthesize what is learned in Canvas modules and in-class lectures and seminars. Because students can learn a lot of what would have been taught via lecture through asynchronous modules, class time is devoted to seminar discussions and group exploration. All students have specific responsibilities and assignments within a group. I can assess the group process by checking into breakout rooms. Even in-person students are part of breakout rooms via laptop computers. Rubrics for group assignments include participation in the group process.

Quizzes and tests (beyond low-stakes, comprehension questions) are graded via Canvas. To assure academic integrity, these are reasonably timed. The Canvas log is checked to make sure students did not leave the Canvas tool during quizzes. Students with disabilities’ accommodations are provided. The wide variety of learning activities make certain that students’ grades are not dependent upon one type of activity on which they may not do as well.

Written essays are submitted through Turnitin. Acceptable similarity scores are included on the rubric.

How do I keep students engaged with me, with each other, and with the course?

While this can be controversial, I require students to keep their cameras on. I provide students with clear expectations from the beginning of class. Students who do not have adequate technology to accomplish this are invited to attend class in person. Of course, I consider students’ emergency situations. I keep students engaged by posing a lot of questions throughout the class. Students respond via Reactions, Polls, and Chat on Zoom. In-person students can participate via Zoom, as well, if they have a laptop. While Zoom students usually stay muted, I provide a signal to unmute and then I pose questions and ask a particular student to respond.

Students can share their screens to present to classmates. In-person students can present on camera and their presentation can be projected just as instructor material is presented.

I do have students earn participation points by having them keep track of the extent to which they answer questions, pose questions, or interact with the learning in some way.

I strategically place students in breakout groups and assign specific tasks. I check in by joining the breakout room and send messages back and forth with students. When offline, I encourage students to respond to discussion posts via Discussions. When we used to meet in person only, the same few students would share; in this HyFlex way, I can hear from everyone.

Out of class, I use Canvas to communicate with students who missed an assignment or did not perform well. I am able to know if students are accessing the material posted on Canvas modules. This would not be possible without incorporating Canvas into my course.

I have office hours via Zoom and encourage students to post questions that are not of a personal matter on chat. This way everyone gets the same feedback and can access it whenever.

In Conclusion…

I have always loved in-person teaching. However, I see so many advantages to using new technologies to increase learning opportunities for students. I enjoyed the challenge of learning to teach in an alternative format and look forward to learning even more active learning strategies.