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Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0009-0003-1430-5569

Date Available

5-6-2028

Year of Publication

2026

Document Type

Doctoral Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College

Education

Department/School/Program

Education Sciences

Faculty

Kun Huang

Faculty

Gerry Swan

Faculty

Ryan Crowley

Abstract

Hybrid-Flexible (HyFlex) courses provide students with the option to choose their mode of participation for each class session, including face-to-face, synchronous online, and asynchronous formats. Although this instructional model has expanded in higher education, research has primarily examined modality as a fixed condition rather than as a dynamic pattern of student participation over time. This study investigates how students use participation options within a HyFlex course and how these patterns relate to academic outcomes.

Drawing on Self-Determination Theory and a learning analytics approach, this study integrates multiple data sources, including learning management system activity, lecture capture records, institutional academic data, and survey responses measuring psychological need satisfaction. The dataset includes repeated observations across class sessions nested within students, enabling analysis at both the session and student levels. Multilevel modeling, regression analyses, and conditional process modeling were employed to examine associations among participation behaviors, motivational constructs, and academic performance, as well as potential variation across student characteristics.

This study conceptualizes instructional flexibility as an enacted behavior rather than a static course feature and examines participation as a longitudinal process. By combining behavioral and self-reported data, the study contributes to a more detailed understanding of student engagement in HyFlex environments. The findings inform ongoing discussions regarding the design, implementation, and evaluation of flexible learning models in higher education.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2026.98

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Available for download on Saturday, May 06, 2028

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