Higher education institutions worldwide transitioned rapidly from face-to-face courses to some form of online delivery due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This case study explores how one institution developed a framework to guide the development of flexible delivery modalities prior to the pandemic (e.g., see Andrade & Alden-Rivers 2019). The study examines to the extent to which the framework was effective in managing the changes resulting from COVID-19 and how it informed new strategies.

The framework was developed and implemented at a large, open admission, regional university characterized by students with increasingly diverse demographic profiles. Of particular note is a high percentage of older, working students with families. This indicates the need for flexible course delivery options. The institution’s mission is to provide access and opportunity to meet regional workforce needs.

Enrollment headcounts have been steadily increasing due to local population growth. The institution’s emphasis on flexible delivery was motivated by student needs rather than decreasing enrollments as is the case for many universities, even prior to the pandemic, which is blamed for a 4.9% drop (Higher Education Dive, 2021).

Approach

With a growing student body and limited physical space, the university determined to extend its capacity with flexible delivery. This entails providing options for how, what, when, and where learning occurs, (Higher Education Academy 2015), thereby addressing student needs, and positioning the university for flexible course delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Flexible delivery entails rethinking teaching and learning paradigms and the policies, practices, and organizational culture that supports traditional forms of delivery. All stakeholders need a voice in these discussions with student success at the forefront, particularly as HEIs seek to democratize and serve diverse range of students.

Based on the university’s mission and vision, flexible learning was identified as a key initiative. A framework was collaboratively developed to account for the variables that would facilitate successful change in practice and culture (Andrade & Alden-Rivers 2019). The strategy and framework enabled the university to respond to pressures and opportunities caused by enrollment growth, and to COVID-19.

 The 11 aspects of the guiding framework are outlined below.

Vision. The vision for flexible learning was aligned with the university’s mission and strategic plan to offer a variety of delivery modalities to reflect student demographics.

Instructional design. Additional instructional designers were hired, and workshops created to assist with course redesign for new delivery modalities.

Institutional expertise. Developing expertise was a priority and involved investing in staff training, prioritizing hiring needs, and consulting with experts.

Policy and infrastructure. Policies and guidelines were reviewed and amended to enable the expansion of flexible delivery.

Analytics. Data was collected to inform decisions and shared with stakeholders.

Quality assurance. Quality assurance measures were adopted for peer review of online and hybrid courses to increase confidence in quality.

Strategic campaigns. To promote goals related to flexible learning, on-going promotional campaigns were designed to raise awareness and generate support.

Student success. Coordination with task force groups focused on specific student populations helped ensure that students enrolling in various delivery modalities were informed, prepared, and had needed support.

Faculty development and recognition. A number of teaching excellence certificate programs were developed to help faculty learn strategies related to new delivery modalities and technologies. Recognition was provided with various award, showcase, honor, and stipend schemes.

Shared governance. Faculty advisory groups were formed related to various flexible delivery initiatives. These have evolved and changed depending on needs and directions and initiatives of current focus.

Shared understanding. This has involved making information transparent, visible, and widely available.

The pandemic accelerated the incremental progress that had been made previously. This prior work was foundational to the university’s ability to pivot and move nearly all courses to online, hybrid, or live stream modalities during the pandemic. Students were provided with clearly communicated options. Faculty were given appropriate training and support due to the expertise and structures already in place. Opportunities were also created for them to share their developing expertise. Throughout the pandemic, the university administered a number of pulse surveys to identify stakeholder experiences with various aspects of teaching and learning. Findings allowed the university to make appropriate decisions for moving forward while balancing stakeholder views with government regulations and safety measures. Additionally, all trainings were assessed, and results analyzed. Student surveys examined gender, age, ethnicity, and year in school variables related to success across modalities as well as student experiences, interactions, and satisfaction with technology and delivery platforms. One survey explored in what areas students needed help and where they sought help. Additionally, it inquired about the technology available and student behaviors during live stream classes. Attendance patterns were tracked, showing changes over the semester with more students attending socially-distanced class sessions early in the semester and an increase in the use of recorded sessions or tuning in to remote sessions as the semester progressed. Students felt connected to their instructor and were largely satisfied with live stream remote classes but reported feeling less connected to other students compared to traditional in-person classes. Overall students were satisfied with their experiences, attesting to the effectiveness of those responsible for various aspects of training, technology, and delivery based on the flexible learning framework. Admittedly, some expressed concerns that they were not learning adequately, their professors had not mastered the delivery platforms, they missed the exchange of ideas in the classroom, and they were not getting their money’s worth. However, the majority were confident they would succeed. Faculty focus groups provided perspectives on modality effectiveness, specifically the live stream or automated classroom. Faculty acknowledged that students benefited from flexible scheduling, particularly if they had childcare needs. However, teaching two audiences (one in the classroom and one remotely) was difficult. With practice, faculty identified strategies for overcoming challenges and had opportunities to share these with other faculty. The panels of faculty experts featured at various virtual conferences attested to the innovativeness, creativity, and commitment of the faculty.

Data such as the examples shared enable the institution to identify how to move forward and offer an optimal modality mix for course delivery. It identifies those at risk of failing and enables support staff and instructors to reach out to students proactively. It informs academic advisors how to help students find suitable delivery modalities. Faculty members benefit from this data knowing that certain populations of students will need greater levels of outreach. The following items summarize key lessons learned from this case study. • Strategic planning that accounts for internal and external opportunities and threats (known and unknown) is important to the on-going viability of operations. • Opportunities for input and assessment of stakeholder experiences are needed to inform directions. A clear lesson learned is to unleash the powers of people within the organization and give them autonomy to pursue work that has purpose and meaning, build their competencies, and develop mastery. This benefits both the employee and the institution. On-going data collection, analysis, and stakeholder input is a critical piece. Overall, the flexible learning framework shared in this case study accounted for the key elements needed to not only sustain the university during the pandemic but to guide its actions. While the pandemic accelerated interest, support, and understanding of the need for flexible learning, the foundation had been established prior to its onset. Implications for other institutions are the need for a clear, forward-thinking strategic plan that reflects the mission and vision of the institution and is well-informed by local, regional, and global threats and opportunities. Also vital is to recognize the growth that has resulted from challenges associated with the pandemic as the campus came together to share expertise, solve problems, and innovate.

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