Exploring User Experience and Satisfaction with the Hybrid-Flexible (HyFlex) Model
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Authors
Balasuriya, Namal Darshana
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Degree
Master of Applied Management
Grantor
Southern Institute of Technology
Date
2024
Supervisors
Wood, Jacob
Rehman, Naveed
Rehman, Naveed
Type
Masters Dissertation
Ngā Upoko Tukutuku (Māori subject headings)
Keyword
Hybrid education
User perceptions
Learning and teaching
Blended delivery
User perceptions
Learning and teaching
Blended delivery
ANZSRC Field of Research Code (2020)
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Abstract
The global pandemic COVID-19 has reshaped educational delivery methods, prompting many institutions to adopt flexible approaches even beyond the crisis. Te Pūkenga, a prominent regulatory body in New Zealand’s tertiary education sector, has also encouraged its partnering institutions to provide flexible learning opportunities for students. The purpose of this research is to investigate user experience and satisfaction with the Hybrid-Flexible (HyFlex) model at the Southern Institute of Technology (SIT) Invercargill campus in New Zealand. To achieve this, the study sets out to explore perceptions from both students and faculty members, uncovering the challenges they encounter and revealing insights into their overall satisfaction with the model. A mixed-methods approach was used to analyse data gathered through two survey techniques: a student questionnaire and interviews with faculty members. Descriptive statistical analysis was applied to 52 student responses, while qualitative thematic analysis was conducted on data from 8 faculty interviews. The findings indicated that users prefer the traditional on-campus mode for learning and delivering due to its ability to maintain engagement compared to the online mode. However, health conditions, travel barriers, and employment constraints are the primary reasons learners opt for online learning. Therefore, ensuring adequate training for students and faculty members, enhancing faculty members’ situational awareness, and regulating class sizes are vital improvements that can mitigate the challenges of maintaining interactions and enhance the overall user experience and satisfaction with the HyFlex model at SIT Invercargill campus. The derived conclusions offer only a partial view of the overall landscape due to the constraints of limited sample sizes and time. To obtain a more comprehensive and realistic perspective, future studies should involve a larger sample. Additionally, expanding the research to include other New Zealand polytechnics and universities that implement the HyFlex model would further enrich the findings.
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CC BY-NC Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International