Flexibility and resilience in higher education

Leif Nelson, Director of Learning Technology Solutions at Boise State University

Leif Nelson, Director of Learning Technology Solutions at Boise State University

Higher education has existed in some form or another for over a thousand years. While modern colleges and universities are in many ways different from their medieval predecessors, some elements, like the concept of academic freedom, are remarkably enduring. Higher education has withstood centuries of wars, diseases, technological changes, and geopolitical transformations. Yet today, higher education is arguably going through what some may call a “rough patch.” Even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, there were concerns about declining enrollments, increased costs, political conflicts, and competition from alternative credentialing models. Today, many institutions are still struggling to define what their version of normalcy looks like in the context of a lingering global health crisis and economic and political turmoil. Some are beginning to wonder whether higher education will weather this storm, or if the cracks in the foundation are becoming irreparable.

I submit that contrary to the common accusation that it is too tightly tethered to archaic traditions, higher education is actually quite responsive and adaptable to changing conditions, and this adaptability demonstrates higher education’s resilience and staying power. The past couple years are illustrative of this.

Many colleges and universities responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by enacting new strategies for online and remote instruction. There is even a new word in the educational lexicon-- “hyflex”--which combines hybrid (referring to the blend of online and in-person teaching) with flexibility (implying that courses should be ready to “pivot” to an either/both modality in a fluid and responsive manner). Online, distance, and hybrid learning are not new. Distance education, in the form of correspondence courses, has existed for hundreds of years, notably helping to establish the University of London in the 1800’s. Self-paced and competency based models, “open” universities, and public television courses experienced a wave of popularity in the UK, US, and elsewhere in the 1960’s and 70’s. And as universities were instrumental in the formation and use of the early Internet, online research collaboration, online courses, and online instructional activities predated the creation of the World Wide Web and web browsers in the 1990’s. Since the early 2000’s online education has expanded exponentially, and corresponding efficacy research has shown that there is not a significant difference between online versus in person modalities in terms of student performance, teaching quality, or academic rigor.

Not everyone is a fan of flexible educational models. Some instructors are eager to shed what they see as temporary and inferior adjustments to how they prefer to teach under “normal” circumstances. To them, the downside of flexibility is that it enables students to take advantage of lax attitudes about attendance and assignment due dates; and, the ineffable value of in person interaction is severely stifled if not entirely absent from technologically-mediated environments. Many recent criticisms are no doubt due to the fact that an entire cohort of instructors (and students) have unwittingly been thrust into unfamiliar territory; they may not realize that the pitfalls and debates associated with online and remote education have already been playing out for decades. What critics of technology-mediated instruction should realize is that flexibility is not incompatible with things like accountability or social presence. There are tools and strategies that promote flexible teaching while maintaining and often enhancing rigor and engagement. But different environments create new considerations for instructional delivery. Replicating a face to face course in an online environment is not the best approach for creating high quality online, hybrid (and hyflex) educational experiences. Fortunately, at nearly every educational institution, instructional technology, instructional design, and faculty development professionals are eager to help instructors identify and implement whatever techniques work best for them. With support and experience, even (former) naysayers are becoming more comfortable and adept at using new technologies and instructional formats.

Another benefit of flexible teaching is that it is conducive to accessible teaching and universal design for learning. For example, things like extra time on quizzes, alternative content formats, and flexible due dates support a range of different physical and cognitive abilities, and they often do so in a way that creates equitable access and participation for all students. Flexible teaching practices and alternative delivery modalities support different circumstances that students (and others) may be experiencing. New COVID variants and fluctuating infection levels continue to make extended illnesses and safety concerns legitimate reasons for folks to avoid some indoor, in person activities (like attending class or other educational activities). When family, financial, and psychological challenges are all taken into account, “being flexible” goes beyond the mere mechanics of making exceptions and allowances, and it creates a culture of compassion and care.

For decades, the demographics of college students have been expanding and evolving. Working parents and non-traditional students exist alongside “traditional” high school graduates who live on campus, “commuter students” who live at home, and even high school students taking college credits. Indeed, from the Reconstruction Era, to the suffragette movement, to post-WWII, to the Civil Rights movement, to the Internet Age, higher education institutions have been expanding access to new populations of learners, and expanding their scope and missions to serve everyone in equitable and meaningful ways.

Higher education institutions should continue to explore and invest in different forms of flexibility like credit for prior learning, self-paced learning, individualized degrees, and experimentation in teaching and research. In doing so, they will continue to find ways to expand their capacity to help individuals grow personally and professionally, to help communities thrive, and to advance knowledge for the public good. In essence, higher education institutions provide the people, places, and methods to help navigate broader societal questions and issues. They encourage people to think critically, solve problems, and engage in civil discourse. These are the values that will continue to make higher education an enduring and indispensable resource as our country and our world struggles through rough patches.