Hello Integrating Technology colleagues,
In January this year I posted a discussion about Flex learning models: HyFlex and BlendFlex. The latest issue of the Adult Literacy Education journal includes a short article I wrote on this topic in the Technology Solutions column that appears in each ALE journal. You will find the article on page 73 at https://www.proliteracy.org/Portals/0/pdf/Research/ALE%20Journal/ALE_ResearchJournal-v003_02-2021.pdf
I would be interested to hear your thoughts about or experience with Flex models. Please share those here or, if you wish, email me directly.
David J. Rosen
djrosen123@gmail.com
Comments
David, I have reviewed your article and need to study it more! I think that eventually we need to build a network of adult education facilities in every community - and then find the funding. Or even vice versa.
For example, working adults who know little or no English usually only want to learn the basics, but are not able to attend classes and are not really interested in getting credit or passing an exam. Some of them may want to continue with their education after a year or so, and then would sign up for "formal" classes. But in general this population just wants to learn how to speak English in order to make their lives a little easier. And they may prefer that instruction be in their native languages, as a transition to English Only.
Therefore, for this group, an "informal" class is the best, and I think that a Drop-In center would be an ideal method to providing these classes.
And I think that funding would be available through local businesses, especially those that are part of national chains, such as Walmart, to use an example.
We could compare this type of adult education to a conveyor belt, with all the adult ed providers participating in a coalition. This type of approach is inclusive, "user friendly", accessible and effective. I also believe that it is more fundable, mainly because it would receive more support from the community at large.
The first step in building such a network is to present the idea to various agencies in the community. Near to where I live there are ESL and other classes offered in a local library, community center and a church. Next week, I am going to pay a visit to each venue and present the idea of networking and...see what happens.
Wish me luck!!
Thank you for putting this article together, David! It is very educational from the point of the differences of Flex models as not many colleagues in the field know the difference or even heard of them.
As a professional that works directly with students, loves tech and an active user of it, and saw its effects in action like keeping 100% attendance, 99% retaining at my 3 programs, 99% level gain during COVID time and 99% successful Citizenship interviews, I don't need to be convinced anymore.
All these models work! Are there challenges, absolutely!? And they are on both ends - students and instructors. Apart from funding and accessibility issues that I agree with Paul can be solved with attracting businesses, I think huge attention has to be paid and good amount of time invested into training instructors. I am a big supporter of the idea "everything grows when you grow". Instructors participation in different tech project on a State level can be one of the starting points. And as you know, David, it was for me.
I hear from my colleagues they do not enjoy Flex models because of the tech aspect mostly - not clear sound, it is time consuming and poor class visibility to the students that connect on video, etc. We definitely have some work to do but I do believe these models proved to be efficient and should be offered as an option to students and instructors in the future.
BTW, I am really looking forward to having a robot that follows me in my class :-)
Best, Anya