When Flexibility Becomes Equity: Lessons From an Online Student

Whether you’re a seasoned instructor or new to teaching, you likely have come to value something higher than recommendations from peers and education experts: feedback from students. A recent letter from one of our learners offers a powerful and honest look at the inequities online students face, and how we can design better to help them thrive. Below are some key points pulled from that letter:

1. Online Students Carry Complex, Non‑Traditional Lives

Online learners are not simply “students”—they are workers, caregivers, parents, spouses, and community members navigating multiple overlapping responsibilities. Their enrollment in online programs is rooted in the need for flexibility, not convenience. When course structures assume the availability or lifestyle of traditional on‑campus students, inequities emerge.

Flexibility isn’t a luxury in online learning—it’s the entire reason students enroll. When thinking about your students in an online course, remember that they are:

• Highly motivated
• Working toward career advancement
• Balancing multiple responsibilities

2. Disorganization is not just an inconvenience - it’s a barrier to success

A poorly designed online course is rarely the result of one problem—it’s the cumulative weight of:

• Disorganized due dates
• Hard-to-coordinate group work (See Point 3 below)
• Limited faculty communication
• Missing rubrics
• Late-released instructions
• Unclear expectations

Non-traditional students rely on planning ahead. Any inconsistency forces them into scavenger hunts, extra coordination, and guesswork—all of which disproportionately affect learners with limited time.

3. Group Work in Online Settings Functions Very Differently

Group work designed for students on campus does not translate to adult, geographically dispersed learners in online programs. There are many challenges that need to be considered when assigning a group project. Students are often in different time zones, have conflicting work schedules, and other caregiving responsibilities. This means that they have limited synchronous availability. Group work is possible in an online course, but should follow these guidelines:

• Work should be able to be completed asynchronously.
• Given ample time to complete the work. Sending instructions and expecting students to coordinate schedules and expectations with a short turnaround time is unrealistic. 
• Set clear expectations of each group member.
• Be transparent how the students will be graded. Are they graded individually (this is recommended, if possible) or as a group?

4. Instructor Presence—Even Small Gestures—Makes a Big Impact

Because online students cannot drop into office hours or ask questions after class, instructor presence becomes the backbone of their learning experience. Instructor presence isn’t about more hours - it’s about intentional, structured visibility that supports learning. Online students depend heavily on:

• Timely email responses
• Short concept videos
• Weekly check-ins or announcements
• A dedicated “place to ask questions”, such as a Q&A Discussion board or optional Q&A sessions on Zoom
• Meaningful feedback on assignments

When communication lags, students feel isolated or forced to teach themselves.

This student’s perspective reminds us that online learners are not asking for less rigor—they’re asking for thoughtful, intentional design that honors the realities of their lives. When we listen to their experiences and evolve our practices, we create learning environments where every student can succeed without sacrificing their well‑being.

If you would like support in designing or refreshing your online course, visit the Course Design section of our website, where you can schedule a consultation with one of our Instructional Designers, or submit a request to work extensively one-on-one with an Instructional Designer.

Note on AI use in this article: GenAI was used in the drafting stages of this article to help summarize themes from the original student letter.