English Courses

CSU Definition:

• Web delivered instruction available to students 24/7.   Learning occurs through online channels without real-time interaction.

In other words...

• A course that is fully online and does not meet at any specific day/time. Instructors post course materials and activities for students to complete using the Learning Management System (iLearn). While the course normally has weekly deadlines, students can complete their work at the times most convenient for their schedules.

Example:

• The instructor posts lecture videos and readings each week followed by discussion forums and periodic assessments on that content.

Pros

• Provides flexibility in terms of both where and when to learn for both instructor and students.
• Students can most often consume (read, watch, listen) information and immediately apply that knowledge.
• The only mode eligible for CSU’s CourseMatch program (which makes the course available to all CSU students).

Cons

• There is a lack of immediacy.  Students and faculty do not get the instantaneous verbal and nonverbal feedback that is inherent in synchronous experiences.  This may hinder communication and engagement.
• Community and interaction have to be more intentionally scaffolded in this mode since the class members are not online together at the same time.

CSU Definition:

• Web or airwaves delivered instruction at a specific pre-scheduled days/times recurring each week.  Learning occurs through online channels in real-time interaction.

In other words... 

• A fully online course that uses a web-conferencing platform (e.g. Zoom) to meet synchronously during a specific timeblock each week. Coursework outside of the scheduled timeblock is often managed within a learning management system, but it is not considered bichronous because no class sessions are replaced with asynchronous activities.

Example:

• Students and instructor in a 3 credit course meet via Zoom on Tuesday and Thursday at 10am each week for 3 hours weekly of lecture and discussion for the fifteen-week semester and potentially during the final exam period. The instructor makes use of iLearn to facilitate approximately 6 hours out-of-class learning in addition to 3 hours of synchronous class sessions each week.

Pros:

• Provides flexibility in terms of location.
• Allows for real time connection between students and instructors, which may improve communication and increase engagement.

Cons:

• This mode requires a high bandwidth stable internet connection and webcam.
• Students need to have consistent access to technology and a quiet space to attend class sessions at the same time every week. This can be challenging for students who are sharing their technology and living spaces with others, or who have caregiving or work obligations that may make it impossible to participate in real time.
• Many faculty found it challenging to remain resilient using this mode during the pandemic, given the additional workload of creating equivalent alternatives to the live sessions for those students unable to participate for various reasons.

CSU definition:

• Hybrid combination of face-to-face and asynchronous 24/7 web delivered instruction.  Face-to-face component must meet weekly at specific day/times.

In other words...

• A hybrid course that combines more than 0, but less than 45 hours, of in-person classes on campus with asynchronous online instruction.

Examples:

• A hybrid course that meets in-person on Thursdays for short lectures, group discussions and active learning for part of the “in-class” contact hours. Moreover, short recorded lectures, readings, exercises and reading quizzes facilitate learning outcomes during the other weekly hours. During a typical week, this 3 credit course meets 1.5 hours in-person and student complete an additional 7.5 hours of work.
• A hybrid lab course that meets in the lab on Wednesdays, with all lab preparation work (watching lab technique videos, preparing and submitting pre-lab reports and pre-lab quizzes) taking place asynchronously online.

Pros:

• Allows for the benefits of face-to-face learning experiences (e.g., immediacy of communication, engagement) as well as the flexibility of asynchronous online teaching and learning.
• Faculty can choose the best mode for each learning activity.
• Research studies consistently confirm that the hybrid learning mode is the most effective for student learning and success.

Cons:

• Requires more up-front planning time and intentional course design decisions from faculty in order for course requirements to be clear to students.
• Hybrid courses are prone to ask too much of students, often described as a “course and a half,” so faculty need to be mindful of the combined workload in all modes.

How do I pivot this mode to fully online if necessary?

• The simplest way to pivot a hybrid course is to replace the face-to-face sessions with synchronous zoom sessions, transforming the course into a bichronous course (fully online with both synchronous and asynchronous elements).
• Create a back-up plan for transitioning face-to-face activities into Zoom activities before the semester starts just in case.

CSU Definition:

Hybrid combination of face-to-face and synchronous instruction (see 02 definition above). Both the face to face and synchronous (pre-scheduled broadcast) component must meet weekly at specific day/times.

In other words...

A hybrid course that combines in-person classes on campus with synchronous online instruction.

Example:

A 3 credit hybrid course that meets in-person on campus for 1.5 hours Tuesdays for short lectures and active learning, and meets via Zoom for 1.5 on Thursdays for small group instruction and projects. Student complete approximately an additional 6 hours of work outside of these sessions.

Pros:

• Allows for some in-person learning experiences while reducing the amount faculty and students need to be on campus each week.

Cons:

• Requires more up-front planning time and intentional course design decisions from faculty in order for course requirements to be clear to students.
• Hybrid courses are prone to ask too much of students, often described as a “course and a half,” so faculty need to be mindful of the combined workload in all modes.

How do I pivot this mode to fully online if necessary?

• To pivot this type of hybrid course, the instructor would need to to replace the face-to-face sessions with either additional synchronous zoom sessions or asynchronous elements.
• Consider in advance if replacing F2F activities with additional Zoom sessions or with asynchronous activities makes the most sense and create a back-up plan accordingly.

CSU Definition:

• Combination of synchronous and asynchronous instruction throughout the term. 

In other words...

• A fully online course that combines synchronous and asynchronous class sessions throughout the term. This is not considered fully online synchronous (see LM 2) because some class sessions are replaced with asynchronous activities. For a 3 credit course, therefore, there is more than 0 and less than 3 hours per week of synchronous class sessions.

Example:

• Students and instructor in a 3 credit course meet via Zoom 1 hour per week while completing other “in-class” and “out-of-class” time through asynchronous learning activities in iLearn (approximately 8 additional hours of work per week).

Pros:

• Allows for some real time connection, but reduces the overall duration of high immediacy, high bandwidth sessions.
• Faculty can choose the best mode for each learning activity.
• Provides the greatest flexibility for faculty and students.

Cons:

• Requires clear course design and organization so students know what is happening when and in which mode.

CSU Definition

There is no official CSU definition for the HyFlex mode. Departments often offer two sections two sections taught by the same instructor, who then combines the two sections into a common iLearn site. One section is offered Fully Online LM 01, and the other is Face-to-Face LM 02, with an enrollment cap of the Face-to-Face course that does not exceed the capacity of the physical space.  

In Other Words...

HyFlex is a student-driven learning mode which grants student autonomy to complete the course requirements by engaging in-person or online, synchronously or asynchronously, at their own discretion throughout the term. In the course design, the instructor teaches in-person and also presents equivalent, though not necessarily identical, learning experiences that support student achievement of learning outcomes outside of the in-person experience

Examples

• In-person + online asynchronous. An instructor teaches 3 hours a week in-person on campus and provides equivalent online asynchronous activities for students to engage with the course concepts and demonstrate achievement of learning outcomes, for example through readings, transcripts, and recorded (not live) videos. 
• In-person + online synchronous. An instructor teaches 3 hours a week in-person on campus and simultaneously provides equivalent online synchronous learning activities for off-campus students to engage with during the session, for example through web conferencing.
• In-person + online asynchronous + online asynchronous. An instructor teaches 3 hours a week in-person on campus, provides equivalent online asynchronous activities for students to engage with the course concepts and demonstrate achievement of learning outcomes, for example through readings, transcripts, and recorded (not live) videos, and also provides equivalent online synchronous learning activities for off-campus students to engage during the session, for example through web conferencing.

Pros

• HyFlex supports students in their self-determination and persistence since they can make their own choices about how, when and where to learn, based on their personal learning needs and outside work and family obligations.
• Hyflex pushes the limits of educational innovation in terms of pedagogy and technology, prompting creative ways to reimagine higher education post-pandemic.
• HyFlex enables institutions to expand beyond the physical capacity and geographic constraints of a classroom, to increase student enrollment and access to courses.

Cons

• HyFlex is a labor-intensive and complex teaching mode for faculty, due to the additional effort and expertise required to prepare, facilitate, and manage class sessions in two or three parallel learning modes. 
• To ensure meaningful equivalent experiences for students in all modalities offered in a HyFlex course, instructors need to have an advanced skillset in instructional design, inclusive and active learning strategies, and teaching with technology. 
• Unlike the hybrid mode, HyFlex remains experimental since there is no significant evidence that this mode leads to improved student learning; rather research suggests that it may increase equity gaps since teaching face-to-face and remote students at the same time leads to worse outcomes for both groups.

How can I pivot this mode to fully online if necessary?

• The HyFlex mode pivots easily to fully online, since the instructor has already provided equivalent, though not necessarily identical, learning experiences outside of the in-person experience to support student achievement of learning outcomes. In a pivot to fully online, the instructor can suppress the in-person class sessions and move to a fully online bichronous mode, with optional synchronous sessions, so that students can still choose to attend synchronously or asynchronously.

Students taking online classes for the first time can expect a new kind of virtual intellectual collaboration, with the same commitment to a student centered classroom, attention to individual learning styles, and a meaningful engagement with issues we face during the current crisis, through the particular lens of our programs in English.

All your professors are expecting engagement, attendance, and participation, regardless of the modality. Their requirements for individual assignments, modes of submission, and rubrics for evaluation will be listed on their syllabus, but you can expect that all codes of student conduct and etiquette will apply to the new modalities. As always, if there are particular concerns you would like your professors to keep in mind about your situation, feel free to let them know.

You might hear these terms a lot from faculty. If you’re confused, look above for definitions of online synchronous, online asynchronous, and online hybrid classes. The TL;DR version: SF State has three ways to teach remotely. Each will require regular participation and engagement. The difference will be in their meeting patterns. Not all meetings involve Zoom! You can also expect iLearn forum discussions, chats, hangouts, shared editing activities within the time frames specified by the course.

You will need regular access to the Internet; a laptop or other device with a working webcam and microphone to join classes, participate in activities, and contribute to live sessions; an iLearn account to access materials, Zoom links, lecture modules, forum discussions etc.; and regular access to your SFSU email. Faculty might use other forums like Google Classroom and will share that information with you as needed. If you have difficulties accessing any of the above, please contact Academic Technology here to find out more about wifi hotspots, laptop loans, and any software you might need. When possible, we recommend setting up a dedicated work space for a conducive learning environment. Of course, your professors understand the challenges associated with a home learning situation and realize that you might be dealing with space constraints.

Attendance has always meant engagement, participation, and meaningful contributions to a course. This remains in place during remote learning, but the modes for engagement, participation and contribution will be different. As always, your instructors will share these expectations with you at the start of the semester.

Your professors will welcome the opportunity to get to know you and learn more about your interests in our program, particularly in a situation where we are functioning remotely. Many of our instructors have drop-in Zoom office hours, but please feel free to email them or use their appointment systems to set up a meeting. To find out more about their availability, take a look on our website in the people section. We are all looking forward to hearing from you!

Call us (415-338-2264) or email us (engdept@sfsu.edu) as always.

Do let your professor know. They are familiar with the challenges of remote teaching and learning, frequently having to teach out of their own kitchens, with children needing attention during homeschooling, with elderly parents to care for during the COVID crisis, and other difficulties associated with running a classroom from home. We understand and empathize with your challenges. Faculty might be able share learning strategies for a challenging time if you reach out to us. We have also prepared a list of resources available on and off campus that might be of help. If you’re having technical difficulties with the course platform (e.g. iLearn), with your internet connection, or your devices, please contact Academic Technology.

The English Department is committed to an inclusive learning environment. Our faculty and staff understand that student needs can change during remote modalities. The Disability Programs and Resource Center (DPRC) will work with you and your instructor to ensure your accommodations are met.

This question is important for our English Education students and others in tutoring and teacher training programs. We’re waiting to hear about our school-based partners’ plans for fall. However, we can confirm that students will not be required to perform face-to-face tutoring. We will update this space as soon as we hear more about how you might be able to complete these experiential learning components. In the meanwhile, we would like students to know that we are prepared to offer alternate accommodations for anyone who cannot meet these requirements.