A teacher teaches in front of a digital screen.This fall, San Bernardino Valley College launched its new HyFlex classroom model, letting students decide whether they want to attend class in-person, synchronously online, or fully asynchronously via Canvas. In a HyFlex class, instructors teach in person, with the class streamed online at the same time, combining a face-to-face classroom model with the virtual format campus has adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic. They prepare their same engaging lessons, keeping in mind that some students will be watching a recording of the class at a later time on Canvas. "We want all of our students to succeed, and the HyFlex model helps with that goal," Vice President of Instruction Dina Humble says. "It gives students the flexibility necessary during the pandemic, and allows SBVC to offer classes for everyone without disruption." 

The HyFlex model is student-centered, and not only helps with social distancing, but also gives Wolverines the flexibility of choosing what works best for them. Whether a student has a full-time job, childcare commitments, or other reason preventing them from coming to campus, they can still earn their degree or certificate asynchronously. Courses built on the HyFlex model help to break down the boundary between the virtual classroom and the physical one, allowing students to access to both platforms and engage with their peers in various formats.