During the pandemic, flexibility became a key component of education. Due to unpredictable circumstances and factors beyond the learners’ control, courses were built so that students could still succeed even when daily life challenges emerged. Even after the pandemic, flexibility will remain important, especially, for adult learners. When juggling family, career and finances among other responsibilities, adult learners find support in increased flexibility.
Three ways to incorporate flexibility into course design:
Due Dates: Quality work is more important than work that is submitted by a certain date. Provide guidelines for submission to help students stay on track, but allow students the flexibility to adjust dates to meet their individual schedules.
Assignment Choice: Provide students with options for assignments. Allow students to choose between options so that they can complete work that is matched to their available resources and learning styles. By listing two or three assignment options, instructors can rest assured that students will be completing work that demonstrates mastery while still providing students with flexibility.
Group vs. Individual Assignments: Allow students the freedom to choose if they will complete assignments in groups. Especially for students with outside responsibilities, group assignments can add an extra layer of challenge due to the need to coordinate schedules.