Redesigning a class for hybrid/hyflex students

How can we best teach a hybrid or HyFlex class?

This week I’m starting my gaming in education seminar and the students are almost exactly balanced between in person and online. I’ve taught a series of blended classes in Georgetown’s LDT program before, yet wanted to redesign this one with some new ideas and to share my plans here.

First, some general notes, then I’ll dive into my plans for the seminar.

1 Some things I do when teaching hybrid/Hyflex classes

By “hybrid” or “Hyflex” class I’m talking about the general idea of a physical class where in-person and remote learners jointly participate, especially the synchronous or live sessions. For this post I’m not interested in litigating terminology, nor in talking about the broader issues of supporting hybrid learning. Today I’m focused on a single, practical implementation case. (If you want to talk HyFlex, let me recommend our two Future Trends Forum sessions with Brian Beatty: 1, 2)

I’ve taught such classes for years in various contexts and with different technologies. I think the first time was around 1999 when visiting the University of Umea’s Humlab, where I gave a talk to a mixed audience. Around half were in person and another half appeared through a virtual world (pre-Second Life!). I still remember the disorienting feeling of beholding the two separate audiences in front of me… then a kind of “click” feeling I’ve developed ideas and…