“How Do I Grade This Fairly?”
Jordan stared at a spreadsheet of student submissions from their new HyFlex course. Some students had participated in classroom simulations, others submitted video walkthroughs, and a few wrote in-depth asynchronous case analyses.
“They’re all showing me what they learned… but in different ways. How do I make sure I’m being fair?”
Jordan had planned the content well across all modes, thanks to the Content Planning GPT, but assessments still felt like a minefield. Would students feel their grade was fair? Were these assessments reliable? Authentic and valid?
As Jordan was planning for the next step in the design process, they remembered that a custom GPT tool was available for them to use: Assessment Planning for HyFlex. (https://chatgpt.com/g/g-67eaf88f37dc8191a7d3cf35366aa3dc-hyflex-planning-for-assessment)
“Maybe I don’t need all the answers myself. Maybe I just need a better way to think this through.”
Assessment in HyFlex: A Design Challenge Worth Solving
Assessment in HyFlex learning environments requires intentional planning to ensure equity, validity, and flexibility … without sacrificing rigor.
HyFlex instructors must answer questions like this:
• Are students evaluated consistently across modes?
• Can all learners show mastery using equivalent criteria?
• How can I track learning progress over time, not just outcomes?
• Will students know how well they are learning before the final assessment?
The HyFlex Planning for Assessment GPT is designed to guide you through questions such as these. Whether you’re evaluating participation, projects, tests, or student self-reflection, this GPT helps structure your thinking and your resulting assessment plans.
Try the GPT: HyFlex Planning for Assessment (https://chatgpt.com/g/g-67eaf88f37dc8191a7d3cf35366aa3dc-hyflex-planning-for-assessment)
See a Sample Interaction: (https://chatgpt.com/share/7a82fa6c-93f0-46e7-bb51-f4b08e8f3bc7)
Assessment Principles in HyFlex Course Design
Drawing from the HyFlex model’s foundations, good HyFlex assessment design supports:
• Validity – Assessments measure the intended outcomes.
• Reliability – Results are consistent across time and mode.
• Authenticity – Tasks mirror real-world applications of knowledge and skills.
• Consistency – Students are assessed equitably regardless of their participation mode.
• Flexibility – Learners may demonstrate outcomes in multiple different ways, guided by clear and consistent criteria.
Types of Assessment
The GPT helps you consider and balance a variety of assessment forms:
| Assessment Type | Purpose | Example |
| Formative Assessment | Monitor student learning & adjust instruction | Weekly low-stakes polls or quizzes in all modes |
| Summative Assessment | Evaluate mastery for grading | Final project or cumulative exam submitted digitally by all |
| Self-Assessment | Encourage metacognition and goal setting | End-of-module reflections with rubrics |
| Practice / Low-Stakes | Support skill development without grade pressure | Draft submission or practice quiz with feedback |
| Authentic Assessment | Evaluate applied knowledge in real-world contexts | Case study, client report, simulation or performance task |
Sample Strategy: Consistency Across Modes
Jordan decided to use the Assessment GPT to help redesign the final project. Originally a live presentation, they wanted an option that would work equally well for asynchronous students.
Here’s how the GPT guided the redesign:
• Created a shared rubric for all modes.
• Gave students three submission formats: live presentation, recorded video, or written detailed proposal.
• Embedded a self-assessment checklist to promote reflection before submission.
• Scheduled formative checkpoints (e.g., topic approval, outline feedback) along the way.
The result? Students appreciated the choice and expressed some relief due to the format flexibility, and Jordan saw evidence of deeper learning across all formats.
Design Tips from the GPT
• Use shared rubrics across modes.
• Be explicit about expectations for participation and performance.
• Incorporate practice assessments to prepare students for graded tasks.
• Build in formative checkpoints; especially helpful for asynchronous students.
• Keep accessibility in mind: captioned videos, accessible formats, flexible timelines.
Assessment as a Learning Tool
Assessment isn’t just about grading; it’s also about how we support learning with opportunities for reflection, self-assessment, and changing learning approaches as needed along the way. In a HyFlex model, well-designed assessments help ensure that all students can succeed, no matter how they participate.
In our sample case, Jordan’s new approach gave students agency, offered the instructor reliable feedback, and created a more inclusive learning experience.
And with their assessment plan in place, Jordan smiled and started thinking about the next stage of HyFlex design, creating engaged learning in every mode and across all modes.