490 Hiflex Delivery: How Do You Turn It Around When Things Go Bad?

Abstract

Abstract Upon return to classrooms in Fall 2020, University policy required every class delivered in person also offer an online option, resulting in hiflex delivery of a careers preparation course that traditionally relied on student interaction and in-person opportunities for knowledge application to teach soft skills. Early in the semester, the class experienced a dramatic decline in physical attendance as well as engagement across all platforms, resultantly substantial real-time changes were necessary. The first step in increasing student engagement was to dedicate a single course period to candidly discuss the decline in class quality and invite participants to take an active role in improving the course and facilitating learning. Concurrently, an anonymous survey was administered to gauge interest in remaining topics, anticipated method of attendance, and incentives to engagement. Student feedback was used to adapt lesson plans and class structure moving forward. These plans were shared with students, implemented, and resulted in increased engagement and performance. Active curriculum adjustment based upon honest feedback and increased student agency improved content retention and application based upon assessment. This presentation will provide an overview of methods utilized including: student surveys, transparency of course scaffolding, small stakes assignments, adaptation of a group project to focus on application, scheduled instructor interaction and feedback on assignments and discussion boards, and intentional creation of an online learning community. Adaptations were effective for improving performance toward course learning outcomes – every student that completed all small stakes assignments and remained actively engaged in class material for the remainder of the semester earned a high scoring grade. Acknowledging a lack of success with implementation of traditional teaching strategies in a non-traditionally delivered course was necessary and enabled the instructor to engage in active dialogue with students, which created opportunities for student-supported and informed adjustments for achievement of learning outcomes.