Pedagogy 2025

Abstract

HyFlex teaching at Birkbeck, University of London, is based on the existing teaching and learning principles that combine flipped classroom and active blended learning. This teaching model is supported and enriched by technology; the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) in use, Moodle, is underpinned by 10 essential standards and should provide students with extensive asynchronous material to help with their studies. During the 2024/25 academic year HyFlex pilot, module conveners – these are the academics responsible for the development of syllabus and content – undertook the HyFlex Development programme delivered by the Digital Education Team to ensure that pedagogy drove their choices in terms of adapting and / or designing for HyFlex delivery. They were encouraged to think about the role of asynchronous activities for interaction as part of either pre-sessional preparation for live sessions, or post-session opportunities to consolidate and, wherever applicable, expands learning. The purpose of this research is to review the pilot itself by focusing on the data and the information gathered from a Moodle audit of qualifying modules, and the end-of-term internal Module Evaluation Surveys. At a more granular level, the researchers were interested in categorising the interactive activities being used on Moodle pages, assessing the impact of the HyFlex Development programme on the adoption of asynchronous interactive activities on said Moodle pages, and evaluating module satisfaction from the module evaluation forms filled out by the students. It is a ‘small sample’ research, but it also provides a blueprint for more data collection and analysis as Birkbeck, University of London, moves on to its first full year of HyFlex operations with more than 200 modules offered to primarily post-graduate students.