HyFlex – What? How? Why?

Session Description

Some colleges and universities responded to this disruption by modifying the courses which they referred to as emergency remote teaching, which in very rare cases reflected a HyFlex model, but did not offer the range of flexibility that HyFlex can offer. When institutions started to return to campuses slowly and on a few days a-week basis, one way instructors were able to maintain continuity and avoid disruptions was by designing and offering HyFlex learning environments. Faculty members who offered the HyFlex learning environment demonstrated their commitment to student success. Students more than ever needed flexibility and compassion. EDUCAUSE’s (2020) “ELI 7 Things you should know about the Hyflex Model Course” discusses the HyFlex model offering a quick look into the model. In our District, which includes 10 colleges, faculty came together to investigate the implementation of HyFlex as an option for our students. Collaboratively with various stakeholders, the cohorts determined various strategies and approaches, We utilized community of practice to explore the challenges and opportunities of this educational practice and collaborated on how best to support the flexibility needed by our students. This session will highlight the implementation as well as the best practices developed by this group. I will share the strategies and designs we used and illustrate how you can use the design at your institution to include options for your students.

Presenter(s)

Carla Ghanem
Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD)
Tempe, AZ, USA

Dr. Ghanem has over 20 years of teaching experience in a variety of disciplines, on various levels, and at various institutions. She has worked with curriculum and course design in all modalities for 15+ years and has supervised and trained instructors of all levels. She has designed and implemented interdisciplinary, learner-centered courses/projects. Dr. Ghanem has facilitated professional development for community college and university faculty in a variety of topics, such as learner-centered practices, assessment, technology, DEI, and design frameworks (e.g. Universal Design for Learning, Backward Design, etc.). Her expertise allows her to apply her knowledge when working with faculty and staff. She is a mentor to probationary faculty.

Dr. Ghanem has been an instructional designer at Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) for over five years. She is currently an instructional designer at the Maricopa Center for Learning and Innovation (MCLI). Before coming to MCLI, she worked as an instructional designer in the Center for Teaching and Learning at GateWay Community College. Carla Ghanem came to MCCCD from Arizona State University, where she was faculty and program director and coordinator. She is currently the Quality Matters Coordinator for the District.

Dr. Carla Ghanem received her Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Applied Linguistics & Cultural Studies from The University of Texas at Austin where her dissertation focused on instructors' identities and teaching practices, specifically with regard to teaching culture. She has three M.A.s in American Studies, Applied Linguistics, and German, an M.Ed, and an M.S. in Mathematics.