Planning and Implementing
HyFlex is about choice, flat learning and access, and this applies to how it is implemented and supported. What choices will teachers have when they start to embrace HyFlex about technology, design of learning, and support systems? Will access to support and tools be assured? How? How will flat learning be assured?
Moving into HyFlex learning and teaching means teachers must understand the affordance of educational technology and how to apply these for the aspects of HyFlex they are adopting. Two support structures may be useful: levels of readiness and the HyFlex mindset.
Levels of readiness
As part of the implementation, the people you work with will be at different levels of readiness across the stages of planning and implementing. Jacka (2015) found that a guide is a useful way to ascertain where a faculty member is in relation to engaging with new and emerging processes. As a “pre-test”, this level of readiness guide can help in the planning stages to support what actions may be needed to best facilitate the implementation of HyFlex courses. This aligns with the ADKAR model’s stages of desire, knowledge, and ability (Hiatt, 2006).
The tables below describes the characteristics that will be evident in the faculty in relation to each level.
Very low level of readiness
Level 0
|
Low level of readiness
Level 1
|
| Pre-existing perceptions and experiences |
- Negative perceptions about HyFlex
- Negative experiences in HyFlex
- Negative experiences with technology
|
- More negative than positive perceptions about HyFlex
- Negative experiences in HyFlex
- Negative experiences with technology
|
| Characteristics that categorised the individual within this level |
- Can not see the benefit of using HyFlex
- Would not use HyFlex
- Believes there is no place for HyFlex in the current University setting
|
- Realised the potential of HyFlex
- Barriers are high enough to restrict the actual use of HyFlex
- Demonstrates a conflict in their perceptions of benefits versus barriers
- Motivated by their perceptions about their students’ engagement with HyFlex
|
| Barriers keeping them within this level |
- Perceived amount of time required
- Negative discourse from others
- Lack of technical support from the university
- Lack of skills
- Lack of time to acquire skills and knowledge about HyFlex
|
- Perceived amount of time required
- Lack of skills
- Negative feedback from students
|
| Action required to move to the next level |
- Workshops and demonstrations highlighting the positive potential for the use of HyFlex in Universities
- Positive discourse from others
- Addressing fears and barriers
- Research that promotes the use of HyFlex with empirical evidence across a sustained period of time
|
- Step by step guidance in the use of HyFlex (face-to-face workshops)
- A majority of colleagues using HyFlex
- Positive discourse from others
- Addressing fears and barriers in both practical and theoretical ways
|
Ready to implement
Level 2
|
Ready to implement and reimagine their teaching
Level 3
|
| Pre-existing perceptions and experiences |
- Positive perceptions about HyFlex
- Positive experiences with HyFlex
- Positive experiences with technology
- Confident in their use of technology
- Confident in their design skills
|
- Positive perceptions about HyFlex
- Positive experiences with HyFlex
- Positive experiences with technology
- Experience implementing innovative practices
- Confident in their use of technology
|
| Characteristics that categorised the individual within this level |
- Barriers exist but are accompanied by solutions and are not high enough to restrict implementation
- Demonstrate the ability to link the way they would use HyFlex to their current practices
|
- Excited about the use of HyFlex
- Likely to initiate future uses of HyFlex
- Barriers are acknowledged but supported by solutions
|
| Barriers keeping them within this level |
- Not enough intrinsic or extrinsic motivation to invest the time in changing their current practices
|
- Lack of support within their institution to actually implement
- Personal level of skills in creating HyFlex environments
|
| Action required to move to the next level |
- Repeated use of HyFlex in a replicating manner with discussion about strategies
- Rewarded for demonstrating innovative ideas
- Support for innovation by the institution
|
- Rewarded for demonstrating innovative ideas
- Support for innovation by the institution
|
References
Hiatt, J. (2006). ADKAR: a model for change in business, government, and our community. Prosci.
Jacka, L. (2015) Virtual worlds in pre-service teacher education: the introduction of virtual worlds in pre-service teacher education to foster innovative teaching-learning processes [dissertation]. Gold Coast (AU): Southern Cross University.
