HyFlex on the Horizon

The Horizon Report identifies the trends, key technologies, and practices shaping and significantly impacting postsecondary teaching and learning today by capturing the views of higher education leaders from around the world. HyFlex and flexible learning figured prominently in the newly released 2023 Educause Horizon Report | Teaching and Learning Edition. The terms ‘flexible’ and ‘flexibility’ appeared a total of 69 times in this report highlighting their importance.

HyFlex learning was referenced in multiple areas of the report:

• • As a social trend with students increasingly demanding flexible and convenient learning modalities (p. 8)

• • As a technological trend tied to disruption of the online vs. face-to-face dichotomy (p. 10)

• • As one of key technologies and practices related to the need to make higher education more flexible for students who are juggling so many competing priorities (p. 25)

• • As a key feature (flexibility) across several scenarios, either as a necessity or as a strategy institutions will continue to leverage to survive and even thrive (p. 31)

• • As significant to the design of learning spaces  (p. 37)

Defining different modes of learning

As flexible learning options continue to expand, it will be increasingly important to consistently define the various educational delivery modalities. Johnson, Seaman, and Pulin (2022) address this need in their publication Defining Different Modes of Learning: Resolving Confusion and Contention Through Consensus

“Through flexibility in our teaching and learning modalities, and flexibility in the ways we structure curricula and credentials, the higher education of the future must adapt to the shifting circumstances and the changing needs and preferences of its students, faculty, and staff.” (p. 31)