Overview

  • HyFlex and active learning rooms are designed to enable flexible learning and teaching spaces to support a high-quality student learning experience.
  • A HyFlex teaching space is a classroom that has been configured with additional technology to support synchronous engagement with students both in-class and online.
  • This is an ongoing collaborative project between CEI, ACU IT and Faculties, with rooms being rolled out through 2022 and 2023.

On this page

What is Hyflex Teaching? Using a HyFlex Teaching Space 6 Tips for success in HyFlex teaching Room Locations Request a HyFlex Room

What is a HyFlex Teaching Space?

A HyFlex teaching space is a classroom that has been configured with additional technology to support synchronous engagement with students both in-class and online. HyFlex teaching falls under the broad category of hybrid teaching, which has been described as follows:

There is no one single definition of ‘hybrid teaching’ but generally it means having both a local (in-person) and a remote (online) audience for the same class. - UCL, 2022

HyFlex teaching is ACU’s word for what is known as hybrid concurrent teaching:

A hybrid classroom allows flexibility with the synchronous delivery of content, allowing students to physically attend a session or access it online. Hybrid concurrent teaching allows all students to connect with their educators and peers - Monash University, 2022

Using a HyFlex Teaching Space

6 tips success in HyFlex Teaching

Preparation is key to reducing your cognitive load as a teacher so that while you deliver the class you have the space to focus on engaging with students and their learning.

  • Visit the room that you will be teaching in and test out the equipment that you will be using.
  • If you have colleagues also teaching using a hybrid approach, you might do a test class with each other.
  • Book ACU Campus Support for the start or your first class to help get the technology started up.
  • Check what equipment is available in the room you have booked and identify what opportunities or constraints exist (e.g., how many monitors are there? Is there a roaming lapel microphone?)

Ensure your students have a clear understanding of what they need to do and what to expect before their first HyFlex session.

  • Set up your Zoom/Team room in advance and share this with your students through LEO.
  • Explain your expectations for how the sessions will run for the face-to-face and online cohorts.
  • Students who will not be in the same physical space as the teacher will have to use their own device. Headsets and headphones are required.
  • Share your slides in advance.

A cornerstone of HyFlex teaching is making use of the synchronous contact with your class. Have clear processes for how your students can get involved.

  • Create a clear process for managing questions that come through chat in Zoom or MS Teams.
  • Invite students to raise their hand in Zoom or Teams if they want to ask a question verbally. This will come through on the room audio.
  • Use the wearable microphone and when an in-class student asks a question, repeat it for the online audience.
  • Enlist the help of an in-class student if need be, to help facilitate the Q&A and discussion - it’s a fantastic professional practice skill for them.

One of the main challenges with HyFlex teaching is making yourself available for the whole audience. Create a ‘monitor’ role to help let you know when online students want to participate.

  • If you don’t have a teaching assistant in the class, ask one of the in-class students to log in to the session on their device.
  • Have that student ask you questions that come through the text chat - repeat the question and the name of the person asking if you can.
  • The student could also monitor the meeting for raised hands and put their own hand up. When you acknowledge them, they can say “we have a question from name”, and you can then cue that on-line student to switch on their microphone and talk to the session.
  • The assistant role is crucial if you only have one screen in your HyFlex room.

Prepare activities that will work with both face-to-face and online cohorts.

Get students reactions by asking them to put up their hands virtually and physically. Share the results with both cohorts.

  • Use a tool such as Kahoot for polling which all students can access at the same time. Alternatively, if using Zoom polling or MS Forms, the face-to-face cohort can log in (muted) to the online meeting so that everyone can participate.
  • Groupwork can be done in virtual breakout rooms for the online and physically for the face-to-face.

Start with simple activities and try new things as your confidence grows. Explore the below resources if you would like to learn more or read additional information.

  • Different hybrid teaching lesson designs and ideas - John Spencer
  • Overview of different board types of hybrid teaching, with some tips that can be adapted for ACU – Monash University

An image of one of the HyFlex Rooms in Blacktown campus

HyFlex and Active Learning Room Locations

HyFlex and Active learning rooms for 2022 by campus:

Planned
Completed

Canberra
Active Learning 300.G.23




HyFlex Rooms 300.G.25 300.G.20
307.1.02




Blacktown
Active Learning 910.1.02 910.1.03 910.1.04 910.1.05 910.1.06 910.1.07
HyFlex Rooms 910.2.4 910.2.14 910.2.15

North Sydney
Active Learning 532.1.01 532.1.04



HyFlex Rooms 502.1.01
502.1.03 502.1.04
502.1.06 502.1.14 502.2.25 - 'Basic' install
526.3.13
526.G.02
532.1.03A 532.1.03B 532.2.01 532.2.06
532.2.08 532.2.09 532.2.10 532.2.11

Strathfield
Active Learning 600.1.41




HyFlex Rooms 640.1.32 640.1.48 640.1.55 612.1.03 612.1.02 612.1.01
600.1.25




Brisbane
Active Learning 216.1.16 212.G.26



HyFlex Rooms 212.2.04 212.2.02 212.2.39 212.2.38 212.1.37 220.1.16

Ballarat
Active Learning 103.G.08 103.G.09



HyFlex Rooms 103.G.01 103.G.02


Melbourne
Active Learning 420.4.47 420.5.31



HyFlex Rooms 403.7.02 420.4.47
420.5.29




How to request a HyFlex teaching space

To be allocated a HyFlex Teaching Space, the faculty must request a HyFlex-enabled room through Timetabling. Each room in the Timetabling system has a list of capabilities, including whether it is HyFlex-enabled.

For additional questions, please contact CEI@acu.edu.au.

Page last updated on 20/05/2024

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