Example Flex Course Frameworks

We've included some examples of Flex teaching frameworks below. Each framework illustrates a plan for an individual "class session". The first two examples show general frameworks that are followed each class session, whereas the third example is a more detailed plan for a single class session and includes several different types of activities that are scheduled out by the minute. As all instructors have their own teaching style and objectives, not all Flex teaching frameworks and plans will look the same; however, we do recommend that you develop a concrete plan in advance of teaching your Flex course. Explore the example frameworks below and maybe you'll find some inspiration here as you develop your own Flex teaching plan!

Examples

ActiveFlex (Mark Gale, Athens State University)

Dr. Mark Gale Links to an external site. from Athens State University calls his style of Flex teaching "ActiveFlex" because he focuses on incorporating active learning strategies into his class sessions. Mark's lessons follow a general structure that begins with a short, engaging lecture and group discussion, followed by an active learning exercise to reinforce the lecture content, and finally, he assigns a discussion board assignment to encourage reflection and solidification of concepts. The table below illustrates how he designs a single "class session" for each modality.

Learning Activity	Synchronous in person	Synchronous online	Asynchronous
Lecture	View short, engaging live lecture and participate in group discussion in the classroom.	View short, engaging live lecture and participate in group discussion over Zoom.	View short lecture video developed specifically for asynchronous audience and answer questions.
Reinforcement Activity	Student work with partners or in groups to complete exercise.	Students work in partners or in groups in Zoom breakout rooms complete exercise.	Students complete the exercise independently and participate in a discussion board.
Follow-up Discussion	Students participate in an asynchronous discussion.

ZoomFlex (Mike Caulfield, University of Washington)

In the video below Mike Caulfield Links to an external site. describes how he structures and runs a Flex course. The video was made in preparation for the fall 2020 semester in which many faculty were preparing to teach in unfamiliar modalities due to COVID. He frames his "ZoomFlex" teaching style as a response to the question, "how can we create an online experience that we include face to face students in?". Dr. Caulfield uses Zoom as his primary platform for interacting across the modalities, but he also incorporates VoiceThread and Google Docs. VoiceThread is a collaborative space for sharing video, audio, images, and text. Although CCS does not provide professional accounts for VoiceThread and so faculty might not be able to follow this exact model, the video does provide helpful ideas for us to consider when designing for a Flex environment.

The ZoomFlex model is illustrated in the table below.

Learning Activity	Synchronous in person	Synchronous online	Asynchronous
Lecture	View short lecture in the classroom	View short lecture over Zoom	View recording of classroom lecture.
Google doc activity	Work in groups and collaborate on a Google document to complete an activity (using personal device in the classroom)	Work in groups in Zoom breakout rooms and collaborate on a Google document to complete an activity	Work independently to complete Google doc activity
Follow-up Discussion	In-class discussion based on Google doc activity (recorded)	Participate over Zoom in discussion based on Google doc activity	Recorded discussion is uploaded to VoiceThread and asynchronous learners contribute to the discussion using VoiceThread

Example 50-Minute Class Session (Kevin Kelly, EdD, San Francisco State University)

The Flex framework below designed by Dr. Kevin Kelly Links to an external site. provides a detailed example of how various types of activities could be implemented across all three Flex modalities during a 50-minute "class session". In the framework below, Dr. Kelly includes mini-lectures, think-pair-share, and polling. If you find this example helpful, we encourage you to explore additional examples of Flex sessions developed by Dr. Kelly Links to an external site..

Activity	Time estimate	Synchronous in person	Synchronous online	Asynchronous online
Activity 0	varies	All students complete an activity (e.g., background knowledge probe, self-assessment survey, low-stakes quiz to demonstrate understanding of reading material, muddiest point forum) before the class session meeting time NOTE: Activity 0 also could include some pre-recorded mini-lecture content so there is more time for activities in class.
Instructor opening	3 min (varies)	Instructor greets everyone and summarizes results of Activity 0
Mini- lecture 1	12 min	Students watch mini-lecture in classroom	Students watch mini-lecture via videoconference	Students watch recorded mini-lecture
Instructor prompt Script Move to breakouts while students “*Think*”	1 min 4 min	No matter where you are in time and space, I want you to think about [topic X] or answer the following [question Y]. Write down your ideas for one minute only. If you’re in the room, turn to a (distant) neighbor and share what you wrote. If you’re on the videoconference, I’ll put you in breakout groups of 2 or 3. If you’re watching the recording, press pause and participate in the Think-Pair-Share discussion forum. Then come back and press play. I’ll summarize the ideas of the people who are live.
Activity 1 - *Pair* Bring students back *Share*	5 min 2 min 3 min	Students work in small groups (may require tech to keep distance)	Students work in breakout groups via videoconference	Students work in discussion forum
Mini- lecture 2	12 min	Students watch mini-lecture in classroom	Students watch mini-lecture via videoconference	Students watch recorded mini-lecture
Instructor prompt	2 min	We’re going to take a quick poll! If you’re in the room or if you’re on the videoconference, use your computer or mobile device either to visit pollev.com/12345 or to text KEYWORD to 12345. Then answer these question(s) based on Mini-lecture 2: What? Why? How? If you’re watching the recording, press pause and answer the same questions. Your answers will be added to the answers from the students who are with us live today. I’ll refer to the full set of answers in my mid-week message.
Activity 2 Polling	2 min	Students submit poll answers Students without devices pair up	Students submit poll answers	Students submit poll answers (asynchronously)
Instructor transition	1 min	Instructor describes poll results from students who are live.
Instructor closing	3 min	Instructor summarizes key points from mini-lectures, assigns activities for all students to complete before next class session

Click Next to review some considerations when it comes to classroom technology.