A rose by any other name: AI augmented HyFlex learning

Julie Lindsay; Lisa Jacka

doi:10.37074/jalt.2026.9.2.8

Authors

Julie Lindsay University of Southern Queensland https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6220-8785
Lisa Jacka University of Southern Queensland https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1389-8978

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37074/jalt.2026.9.2.8

Keywords:

AI Agent, Artificial Intelligence, asynchronous, blended, chatbot, hybrid, HyFlex, innovation, learning design, synchronous

Abstract

This paper addresses a dual challenge in higher education: making HyFlex implementation more sustainable whilst overcoming terminology-based resistance that prevents educators from recognising intelligent tools as pedagogical supports. Between October 2024 and July 2025, the University of Southern Queensland participated as the sole non-European institution among 17 providers in the Jisc Beyond Blended pilot, simultaneously running an internal HyFlex-Beyond Blended initiative across two trimesters.

Drawing on a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning framework and critical reflective practice, this study examines the integration of intelligent tools across synchronous and asynchronous HyFlex modalities. Insights from practice suggest that framing tools by pedagogical function rather than technological label reduced adoption resistance and supported HyFlex principles of choice, flat learning, and accessibility. Purpose-built AI agents supported learning design, automated content creation reduced educator workload, and conversational AI enhanced asynchronous engagement. However, infrastructure limitations, a flexibility-engagement paradox, and a lack of student feedback constrain claims.

Three theoretical contributions are offered: framing affects intelligent tool adoption; AI capabilities can operationalise HyFlex principles that have been theoretically sound but practically challenging; and critical reflective practice can generate valid scholarly insights from institutional pilots. Implications include pedagogical framing in change management, phased implementation, and embedding tools within existing workflows.

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Author Biographies

Julie Lindsay, University of Southern Queensland

Dr Julie Lindsay is a globally recognized education leader championing digital transformation in higher education. As Senior Consultant (Technology Innovation) at the University of Southern Queensland, she serves as a strategic change agent embedding cutting-edge educational technologies and reimagining learning for an interconnected, AI-enhanced world.

With 35+ years spanning K-12 and higher education, including fifteen years leading digital innovation in international schools across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, Julie brings a uniquely global perspective to transforming educational practice. Her expertise encompasses online global collaborative learning, HyFlex learning design, and asynchronous learning as the foundational element binding diverse modalities.

Julie leads two transformative initiatives: the AI Pedagogy Project at UniSQ with over 150 active members was short listed for a CAULLT leadership in professional development award in 2025; and the International Council for Open and Distance Education's (ICDE) global Technology and Innovation Network. These roles position her at the forefront of harnessing AI to reimagine education, developing AI agents as learning partners, and fostering Communities of Practice that accelerate global knowledge sharing.

Julie is author of three influential books, Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds (2012), The Global Educator: Leveraging Technology for Collaborative Learning and Teaching (2016), and HyFlex Learning and Teaching: A Guide for Educational Innovation. Scholarly contributions include her 2019 PhD on "Online global collaborative educators and pedagogical change," offering groundbreaking insights into developing a Global Collaborator Mindset.

Julie's excellence has earned prestigious recognition, including the 2023 Vice Chancellor's Excellence Award for University Educational Leadership and the 2020 Research in Educational Leadership and Management Award from the Australian Council for Educational Leaders. Her award-winning Create@UniSQ initiative transformed academic practice through university-wide integration of online portfolios.

Recent international engagements include a 2024 Erasmus+ exchange at Justus Liebig University, Germany, and a 2025 sabbatical as Scholar in Residence at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland. Her keynote presentations, including "Building Digital Bridges" at International Digital Week in Nice, France, and unique challenge-based workshop design continue to inspire global conversations about the future of education.

Julie's current research centres on "flat learning" that transcends geographical boundaries, online collaborative learning in higher education focusing on frameworks like Cosmogogy (learning while connected to the world through digital technologies) and the Human-AI-World ecosystem integrating agentic AI as a collaborative learning partner, as well as HyFlex learning and teaching.
Lisa Jacka, University of Southern Queensland

Dr Lisa Jacka is an Associate Professor at the University of Southern Queensland with over 20 years of experience in education. Lisa has expertise in virtual worlds in education having completed PhD research in this field as she introduced educators to the possibilities of virtual worlds. Her work has been widely published including a sole-authored book in the Routledge Focus series, 6 book chapters, 7 journal articles and numerous conference papers all focusing on the use of virtual worlds and the opportunities for education. In 2015 she was awarded a Vice Chancellor's Citation for innovative design and delivery of online learning experiences that facilitate education students' readiness to teach in learning environments of the future.