CATL Blog: Thoughts and Insights from CATL

Posted 10:24 a.m. Tuesday, July 26, 2022

Policies to consider

The pandemic shifted instructor and student expectations regarding flexibility with coursework. As we plan for next semester, it is a good time to consider offering a little flexibility in classroom policies and approaches that will help students succeed, while still maintaining academic rigor and structures necessary to appropriately plan workload. This article offers a few ideas about course policies that can support students' request for flexibility and instructors’ need to have boundaries. 

Instructors are in the best position to determine which strategies are most appropriate for their learning context. However, because approaches vary from class to class, instructors should aim to clarify for students where there is and is not flexibility and why. Being transparent about these boundaries up front can support student success and avoid confusion down the road. 

A few important things to keep in mind: 

• Aim to develop policies that are aligned with your teaching philosophy and the specific classroom environment of a given course. 
• Not every idea will work in every class. You know your course, your students, and your objectives. However, review the spirit of the possible policies and approaches to consider possibilities that might work for your classroom.
• Be honest with yourself as you review your policies and consider what kinds of accommodations make sense for you and your classroom.  
• If students request flexibility due to mental or physical health concerns, they should be advised to consult with the ACCESS Center regarding documentation and reasonable accommodation.
• Consider how you will implement any changes you plan to make as different approaches may require additional work or communication efforts. For example, how will you handle student requests for flexibility? Is it possible to use Canvas to automatically provide flexibility? If not, will students need to contact you directly to make arrangements? The links embedded below provide more information about options. Reach out if you need assistance setting up any of these options – canvas@uwlax.edu 

Examples of Strategies: 

• Use one day in the course schedule where any student can make up any exam. 
  
  
• Make the final exam optional; if a student takes the final exam, the grade on the final exam can be used to replace a lower score on a previous exam
  • Canvas guide: Create drop rules for an assignment group 

• Develop alternative assignments, activities, makeup quizzes, etc. that allow students to meet your most crucial learning objectives when they are unable to attend class; allow students to do up to X# of alternate assignments 
  • Canvas guide: Assign to an individual student 

• Set a target due date and a firm due date. This can be done in Canvas by setting a due date as a target date, and an ‘until date’ as the firm date. Assignments submitted between those two dates will be flagged as “late” in Canvas; assignments cannot be submitted after the until date.
  • Canvas Guide: Assignment due dates and availability 

• Offer incentives for early submissions (e.g., five extra points for an assignment submitted five days early, four extra points if it is four days early, and so on; or use the target date as a due date that earns extra points).
  • Canvas Guide: How to give extra credit in a course 

• Consider a “Standard Deduction” Policy can indicate that any late assignment will earn a flat X% grade deduction as long as it is completed within # days of the firm deadline.
  • Canvas Guide: Late submission policy in the Gradebook 

• Have a “consequence free” late policy on one or more of your assignments (e.g., if an assignment is fewer than five days late, it will be considered as submitted on time).
  • Canvas guide: Change submission status in the gradebook 

• Offer students a choice of assignment outputs/options that allow them to play to their strengths (e.g., students have a choice of creating a podcast, writing a paper, or designing a brochure). This approach adheres to Universal Design for Learning principles, and allows students ownership and alternate motivations about their course path, outcome, and grade. 
  • Canvas Blog: Hacking Mastery Paths 

• Give students an opportunity to revise and resubmit their work, perhaps for a set number of major assignments.
  • Canvas guide: Set limit on submission attempts 

• Drop a set number of the lowest scores from a grading category that has several opportunities to earn grades. 
  • Canvas guide: Create drop rules for an assignment group 

Rigor still matters. These policies do not suggest compromising your standards for meeting course objectives or student requests. These ideas are meant to encourage you to consider approaches in your class that assist you and your students when flexibility is requested.  

We hope you find these ideas helpful and consider applying one or more in your classes. If you would like to discuss your course policies regarding supporting students, please contact CATL@uwlax.edu and we’ll schedule an individual, group, or department consultation.  

References and Resources 

• The Chronicle, 10 Course Policies to Rethink on Your Syllabus 
• Oregon State University, Flexibility and structure in course design: You don’t have to choose
• Iowa State University, Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching: Be Flexible and Open
• George Mason University, Designing for Flexibility: Adapting Policies on Student Work