Flex Model
| Site: | NMIT Moodle |
| Course: | Learning Design Framework Toolkit |
| Book: | Flex Model |
| Printed by: | Guest user |
| Date: | Thursday, 2 May 2024, 10:30 AM |
Description
Introduces the Flex Model
1. Flex Model Overview
Reading
According to the Christensen Institute, the Flex model is “a course or subject in which online learning is the backbone of student learning, even if it directs students to offline activities at times. Students move on an individually customized, fluid schedule among learning modalities. The teacher of record is on-site, and students learn mostly on the brick-and-mortar campus, except for any homework assignments. The teacher of record or other adults provide face-to-face support on a flexible and adaptive as-needed basis through activities such as small-group instruction, group projects, and individual tutoring. Some implementations have substantial face-to-face support, whereas others have minimal support. For example, some Flex models may have face-to-face certified teachers who supplement the online learning on a daily basis, whereas others may provide little face-to-face enrichment. Still others may have different staffing combinations. These variations are useful modifiers to describe a particular Flex model.”
Focus questions:
- What would be the benefits to the tutor and learners of using this model?
- What would be the constraints or difficulties?
- What professional development would I need to be able to implement this?
- What support/development would my learners need?
2. Case Studies
Video
Craig Agnew: Music Industry Studies at NMIT
Watch the video below. It is an interview with Craig Agnew, a music industry tutor at NMIT who is using the Flex model in his teaching.
Reading
San Fransisco Flex Academy
Read the article from the Huffington Post. It describes an innovative high school in San Fransisco where the entire student body operate on a Flex model.
Link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/31/flexibility-support-buil_n_2045073.html
3. MixMap Activity
Activity
Revisit the MixMap that you created in the Understanding Blended Learning session. If you missed that activity make sure you do it before you do this activity.
Link: https://ecampus.nmit.ac.nz/moodle/course/view.php?id=5833§ion=4
Instructions:
- Looking at the activities you’ve already identified, make a list of those which could work using the Flex model
- Add any other activities you’ve identified while doing the Evaluation Activity
- List any opportunities you can think for students to interact online – this could be using forums or external tools like Facebook, OneDrive or Google Docs (however, it needs to be for a reason they can’t communicate in class, such as it is a homework activity)
- List any resources you would need – you don’t need to be too specific yet, just identify whether you would need weblinks, document templates, pdf documents or videos etc.
4. Session Plan Activity
Activity
Complete the following activity. It should bring a lot of your planning together in a format that we’re all familiar with – a lesson plan (or in this case it has been called a “session plan”).
Instructions:
- Download the documents from the links below
- Have a look at the Flex Session Plan Exemplar, taking note of how the information is set out
- Using a lesson that you would usually teach face-to-face, redesign it into a Flex session using the Session Plan Template – remember that most of the content will happen in the online environment, but note what you would be doing as the tutor/facilitator
- If you feel comfortable sharing, please upload it to the Session Plan Forum, along with a description of how your Flex session differs from your usual face-to-face lesson
Flex Session Plan Exemplar (PDF)
Session Plan Template (DOCx)