Coming by way of COVID and having efficiently managed the strain faculties and universities skilled, establishments have discovered worth in versatile course fashions.  

The bimodal versatile course mannequin has not been researched or carried out as extensively because the trimodal mannequin, generally known as HyFlex. There are a lot of articles and experiments carried out with HyFlex course design, and at the moment, it’s the most versatile choice obtainable for college students because it provides college students 3 ways to attend and take part in every class session all through the period of a course. “HyFlex programs present the capability for applications to serve distant college students along with offering comfort and alternate options to regional college students” (Beatty, 2019a). 

With that mentioned, the trimodal course mannequin does have some inherent challenges.  “These advantages come at a price; prices borne by college students, prices borne by instructors and designers, and prices borne by directors at establishments selecting to implement HyFlex approaches” (Beatty, 2019b). Educators face a problem in delivering content material as a result of abundance of know-how, coupled with the expectation to concurrently instruct two distinct units of learners (these on-line and people current in individual). Moreover, instructors want to make sure asynchronous learners are receiving the educational sources inside the studying administration system (LMS) and the help they should succeed. “HyFlex programs place a substantial amount of strain on instructors to cater as much as three totally different studying environments directly” (Leboff, 2020). Establishments could discover it expensive to undertake, uphold, and handle this method. Moreover, there could be a requirement to supply coaching for educators on the utilization of latest applied sciences. Lastly, when providing three decisions to college students for every class session, it might imply that college students are unfold throughout codecs, with only some attending the in-person periods (or the synchronous on-line periods). 

The bimodal versatile course mannequin is an easy idea. It combines current processes and sources in new methods to supply versatile choices for scholar attendance and participation in programs.   

What’s bimodal versatile (ByFlex) course design? 

Bimodal versatile (or ByFlex) course design provides college students two choices for attending and collaborating, on-line or on campus, after which provides two extra choices, synchronous or asynchronous. It offers college students with flexibility in how they like to attend and take part in programs from session to session all through the course period. This enables college students to customise a school-work-life stability that works for his or her particular scenario and desires. See choices and Determine 1 beneath. 

1. On campus (in-person) on the time the course is scheduled, similtaneously the educator, or asynchronously on-line at a time the scholar prefers. 

2. On-line synchronously on the time the course is scheduled, similtaneously the educator, or asynchronously on-line at a time the scholar prefers. 

The bimodal course mannequin makes use of current school rooms with no pressing want to change or replace applied sciences. Delivering programs on this method is extra easy for educators in comparison with a trimodal strategy. They give attention to instructing one group of synchronous learners at a time, both on-line or within the classroom, however not each concurrently. Educators make sure the asynchronous learners are receiving the educational sources inside the LMS and the help they should succeed. “Mixing synchronous and asynchronous permits us to achieve the distinctive advantages from every modality whereas overcoming the distinctive limitations” (Shank, 2020).   

Versatile programs could assist establishments enhance total course enrollment by providing extra schedule and placement flexibility to college students (Beatty, 2019b). Versatile programs could support establishments of their retention efforts by decreasing course withdrawal charges as a result of college students will higher have the ability to handle their time as a way to meet course targets (Beatty, 2019b). By way of a number of modes of participation, college students profit from enhanced entry to programs, better management over their schedules, and a wealth of studying sources. A number of modes of participation typically require extra sturdy educational supplies, enabling richer instruction and offering extra alternatives for studying (Beatty, 2019b). College students could really feel much less stress by having management over their schedules. 

Some bimodal versatile programs are designed with two synchronous choices (Concordia, n.d.).  College students could attend in-person, within the classroom, or they might attend on-line synchronously, however both choice requires college students to attend on the time the category is scheduled with the professor and, subsequently, might not be versatile sufficient to satisfy college students’ wants. This mannequin additionally requires the professor to handle two teams of synchronous learners in two totally different supply modes on the similar time, thus, having comparable challenges as trimodal supply. 

The net course designed with bimodal flexibility offers college students with choices for attending on-line both synchronously or asynchronously.  Introducing the selection for asynchronous scholar attendance and engagement may need been a response to scale back the incidence of “Zoom fatigue.” “Anybody who has ever suffered from ‘Zoom fatigue’ can also attest to the inherent challenges of studying solely in synchronous on-line periods” (Martin, 2021).   

Primarily, the ByFlex course design provides an asynchronous choice to both a web based synchronous course or an on campus, within the classroom, course. This bimodal versatile course mannequin offers college students the flexibleness to study at their very own tempo whereas  additionally offering them the chance for speedy suggestions and interplay. The distinction within the elevated quantity of flexibility college students expertise between a trimodal and a bimodal course is negligible, however the prices, time, and energy required to design, implement, and keep a trimodal course are much more substantial than that required to design a bimodal course. 

The following time your establishment is planning or growing versatile programs for college students, ask your self the next questions earlier than you resolve on a course mannequin:

• What are the explanations we’re doing this?
• Are trimodal programs actually definitely worth the quantity of funding, coaching, and help required?
• Does the bimodal course mannequin supply college students the quantity of flexibility they worth?
• Can the establishment and educators help the bimodal versatile course mannequin higher than the trimodal mannequin? 

Kerri Shields has been a school professor for 20+ years and has taught many programs in enterprise, administration, advertising and marketing, and knowledge programs.  She has designed programs for hybrid, in-classroom, and on-line supply, and has noticed the professionals and cons of every supply methodology. She enjoys studying as a lot as she does educating and understands that college students have different studying kinds and desires. Shields has additionally printed a guide on bimodal versatile supply: https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/byflex/ 

References 

Beatty, B. (2019a). Hybrid-flexible course design. (ch 1.1) https://edtechbooks.org/hyflex  

Beatty, B. (2019b). Hybrid-flexible course design. (ch 1.2) https://edtechbooks.org/hyflex  

Concordia College. (n.d.) Bimodal school rooms. https://www.concordia.ca/ctl/educating/bimodal-classrooms.html  

Leboff, D. (2020, June 12). What you must find out about Hyflex programs. https://tophat.com/weblog/what-you-need-to-know-about-hyflex-courses/  

Martin, F. (2021, Might 27). Bichronous on-line studying: Is mixing asynchronous & synchronous the perfect strategy? https://interactions.aect.org/bichronous-online-learning-is-blending-asynchronous-and-synchronous-the-best-approach/  

Shank, P. (2020, July 24). (The correct) studying modalities to ship digital studying: Half 5. https://elearningindustry.com/blending-asynchronous-and-synchronous-digital-learning-modalities-part-5