Reading Room
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Email Subject Line: [Course Number and Name] - Pre-course Welcome and Next Steps
Dear Students,
Welcome to [Course Number and Name] taught during the [Year and Semester]. I am looking forward to learning with you in our upcoming HyFlex course. I am writing prior to the official course start to cover a few items.
Course Format: This course uses the HyFlex modality. HyFlex is an approach to teaching that melds the traditional classroom with the virtual classroom. The word HyFlex is a combination of Hybrid-Flexible, which is a format where students are able to choose how they participate in class on a session-by-session basis. Participation can be in face-to-face in the classroom or by live stream online. Access to the live stream will be provided in Blackboard (cbs.blackboard.com). For additional information about HyFlex, please see the CBS HyFlex site: https://hyflex.cbshouston.edu
Course Availability: The course will meet physically on the CBS [Physical Campus Name] campus. The Blackboard part of the course will be open by the first day of class. Well before the first day of class, please test your Blackboard login and read the course syllabus thoroughly. The first official day of the course is [Full Course Start Date]. I will be available on this date. If you discover technical difficulties before the first official day of the semester, please contact the CBS Learn Helpdesk at LearnHelp@cbshouston.edu or by calling toll free 877-324-0849 (select option #1 for technical support).
Course Schedule: The course meets every [Course Meeting Day of Week] from [Course Start and Finish Dates including Year] at [Course Start and Finish time including time zone]. As soon as I have the room number, I will send another email with that information. If you need to convert time zones, the following online calculator may be helpful: https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter-classic.html
Course Syllabus: I have attached the course syllabus to this email. Read the syllabus carefully, as it contains course expectations and other important information. The official syllabus will also be provided in Blackboard.
Course Materials: Below are the required and suggested textbooks.
Required
[List the required and suggested textbooks as an additional prompt to your students to purchase their textbooks. This is a “dripping water” approach to encourage students to have their reading resources ready in time for class. This is basically a copy-and-paste from the syllabus.]
• [Any Required Resources]
Suggested
• [Any Suggested Resources]
Time Commitment: A HyFlex course requires discipline, self-motivation, collaboration, and organization. It also requires the same credit hours of work as a traditional face-to-face course. Although there is greater flexibility for “how” you may attend class, course attendance is required and there are required due dates. Class participation is required and expected. You should expect to spend between Estimated Weekly Hours [Take the estimated number of hours divided by the number of weeks for the Estimated Weekly Hours] hours per week working and learning in the course. Please plan your time accordingly.
Course Pre-Reading: So that our first class session is productive, please read [List Any Course Pre-Reading]. For each class session pre-reading will be required.
Helpful Links:
• MyCBS Student Portal: https://my.cbshouston.edu
• Blackboard: https://cbs.blackboard.com
• Student Email: https://login.microsoft.com
• CBS Learn Portal: https://learn.cbshouston.edu
If you have any questions then please let me know. I look forward to serving you this semester!
[Your Salutation]
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Email Subject Line: [Course Number and Name] - Please install this software ASAP
Hi everyone!
We are using a new tool called Class for the HyFlex courses at CBS. Before the start of [Course Name] on [Course Start Date], please install the Class software on the computer that you will be using. We have created step-by-step directions on how to install Class on your computer. There is no cost to you for the software. Here is the link to the documentation:
https://hyflex.cbshouston.edu/install
The install is easy and should only take a few minutes. Again, please do this before the actual course start. And please see my previous emails regarding the pre-reading for the course. It is critical to do this so that our first session can be as productive as possible.
As a reminder, our course starts on [Course Start Date] at [Course Start Time including Time Zone]. It will meet in person on the [Physical Campus Name] campus in room [Room Number], or by live stream using Class from anywhere you have fast Internet access. Please remember to visit the CBS HyFlex site at https://hyflex.cbshouston.edu for information on HyFlex courses along with the technical requirements for a HyFlex course.
[Your Salutation]
Click here to download this as a Word template
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Hybrid-Flexible Course Design - by Brian J. Beatty - Implementing student-directed hybrid classes.
Student choice, instructor flexibility: Moving beyond the blended instructional model - by Miller, J.B., Risser, M.D., & Griffiths, R.P.| Issues and Trends in Educational Technology, 1(1), 8-24.
7 Things you Should Know about the HyFlex Course Model - by Natalie Milman, Valerie Irvine, Kevin Kelly, Jack Miller, and Kem Saichaie | Educause Learning Initiative
Remote Teaching & Learning Resources - by Torrey Trust, PhD
OER Commons - a public digital library of open educational resources.
OpenStax - free and flexible textbooks and resources.
Open Textbook Library - textbooks are licensed by authors and publishers to be freely used and adapted. Download, edit and distribute them at no cost.