Personalized Learning

Strategy Spotlight

Using Flexible Learning

Strategies to Foster Equitable
and Inclusive Education
Opportunities

Alise Crossland & Kristin Ruedel, American Institutes for Research

Introduction
What Do We Mean by
Flexible Learning?

School building closures due to As students and teachers have shifted Flexible learning is a student-centered
COVID-19 challenged educators to from setting to setting (e.g., remote, approach that provides students with
rethink teaching and learning. Although hybrid, in-person), educators have choice in what they learn, how they
emergency remote teaching and learning recognized the critical need to develop learn, and when and where they learn
is just a snapshot in time, the lessons systems, teaching strategies, and (https://www.air.org/sites/default/
learned will continue to echo throughout content that is flexible and can shift files/Strategy-Reflection-Personalized-
education beyond the COVID-19 crisis. easily across settings. The benefits
Learning-2020.pdf).
The shift to remote learning exposed associated with providing students with
significant areas of need for students, “voice and choice” in when, where, and Flexible learning environments fall
teachers, and families. Further, the shift how they learn are far-reaching, and can under the umbrella of flexible learning
underscored gaps in equity of access help prepare all learners with the skills methods and include the design of
to technology, broadband internet they need to succeed in an increasingly physical spaces, scheduling, and student
service, and learning resources and the complex world.
groupings to (a) encourage active
importance of flexibility and adaptability In this Personalized Learning Strategy learning and personalized instruction
in how we approach learning. Spotlight, we provide an overview of and (b) provide space and opportunities
flexible learning strategies, suggestions for students to create, problem solve,
for implementation, and examples of
and collaborate with peers. Flexible
flexible learning in practice. As districts
learning environments are often used
continue to explore approaches for
responding to the COVID-19 crisis, AIR as part of a strategy to support the
hopes that this Spotlight will provide implementation of other student-
district and school leaders with tools for centered and personalized learning
building more flexible and personalized strategies.
learning opportunities for all students in
all settings.
Design Elements of
Flexible Learning

Flexible learning strategies often refer See it in Action

to the design of physical spaces as a
mechanism for supporting student-
centered learning and personalized Commonwealth Charter Academy when and how they learn; students
instruction. For example, specific (CCA) is a K–12 virtual charter school can elect to attend a synchronous
classroom arrangements can encourage in Pennsylvania. CCA grounds its lesson or watch the recorded session.
or discourage certain types of learning instruction in Universal Design for This approach gives students (a)
and engagement. A physical classroom Learning, creating multiple ways to the flexibility they need to schedule
with space for collaborative work creates personalize instruction and multiple instruction that aligns with their needs
an environment that supports sharing and opportunities for students to engage and (b) the ability to control pacing of
peer-to-peer learning. An online learning with content and demonstrate instruction (e.g., slow down, speed up,
environment might make use of breakout understanding. CCA uses a variety or rewatch). Formative data are also
rooms, chat features, and collaborative of technology tools and supports to used to create asynchronous instruction,
workspaces to support peer-to-peer create flexible options for student which also offers flexible lesson
learning opportunities. Whether in- groupings, schedules, student response options. With asynchronous instruction,
person, virtual, or hybrid, teachers use and engagement, and learning settings. lessons are created with built-in
the design of learning spaces, schedules, For example, during synchronous modifications, accommodations, and
and instruction to create opportunities for instruction, teachers use formative scaffolds according to student needs to
more personalized learning. assessment data to group students for ensure each student has the supports
targeted instruction in small breakout needed to access content and achieve
groups. Teachers also use these data to mastery. These options may include
adapt instruction, content, and lesson additional audio or video support or
pacing. Live lessons are recorded, additional context to help students build
providing students with flexibility in background knowledge.
1
This content was developed as a result of district
interviews conducted under a grant from the U.S.
Department of Education, #H327T180001. However,
the contents do not necessarily represent the policy
of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should
not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.
Project Officers: Tara Courchaine, Ed.D., and Anita
Vermeer, M.Ed.
Why Flexible
Learning?
Flexible learning and the design of In flexible learning environments,
flexible learning environments are pedagogies are driven by
strategies that can help districts to • Fostering student independence and
support more personalized learning for agency (the ability to make choices
students. and take an active role in learning);
These environments are also grounded • Encouraging collaborative learning;
in research in how people learn.
Although the design of a flexible • Approaching teaching as a process
learning environments stretches beyond of constructing knowledge, making
rearranging furniture and physical meaning, and making connections
spaces, districts may find that starting across learning areas.
with attention to the physical (or virtual) Why should districts focus on designing
space that students learn results in flexible learning environments? The use
ripple effects for how districts think of flexible learning strategies have shown
about staffing, physical spaces, teacher promise in improving academic and
collaboration, scheduling, allocation nonacademic outcomes for students,
of resources and technology, and the including
design of professional development. • Supporting active and collaborative
Thinking about how to create the learning;
learning environments for students to be
more engaged and collaborative learners • Addressing learner variability and
requires a shift in teaching practices to students with a variety of learning
create a learning environment that is needs and preferences;
based on inquiry and personalized to • Preparing students with skills for work
meet the needs of both teachers and and education in the 21st century;
students.
• Improving learner motivation and
engagement;
• Increasing collaboration, cooperation,
and communication; and
• Improving classroom culture,
management and student behavior
(Barrett et al., 2015; Crum, 2019;
Daviesa et al., 2012; Kariippanon et al.,
2019; Pane 2018; Pane et al., 2015).
See it in Action

Like districts throughout the United The concepts of flexibility, agency, and Teachers are already using many of
States, Loudoun County Public student-centered learning are further the teaching strategies employed in
Schools in Loudoun County, Virginia, supported by the science of learning flexible learning models, including direct
had to make a rapid transition to and the variability among learners. instruction, small and large group work,
remote learning in response to the Research on the science of learning investigations, inquiries, self-and peer
COVID-19 pandemic. The district had supports (a) the use of teaching assessment, student reflection, and
previously focused on implementing an strategies that support deeper learning, independent and collaborative work. The
approach to learning opportunities in encourage students to see themselves key to personalizing these strategies is
physical classrooms—using adjustable as active and reflective learners and (b) the intentional design and interaction of
seating and spaces to encourage the creation of classroom cultures that physical and virtual spaces, curriculum,
more collaboration, flexible student support inquiry, exploration, and risk- time, and staff to support a pedagogical
groupings, and opportunities for taking (Osher et al., 2017). shift from teacher-led to student-
hands-on project-based learning. centered instruction. For example, to
Although this flexible approach did not differentiate instruction, educators can
make the transition to remote learning implement “station rotation,” which
easy, the gradual shift in mindset provides students with opportunities to
toward flexible instruction in the years access learning through different activity
before the COVID-19 pandemic helped centers. For more information on using
to support the transition to remote this approach to flexible learning, see
learning. The district noted that these AIR’s Practitioner Brief, Personalizing
initiatives had been in progress before Learning With Station Rotation (https://
the pandemic, but “the virus is an www.air.org/sites/default/files/Station-
accelerator” that reinforced the critical Rotation-Practitioner-Brief-Final-
need for collaboration, relationship July-2020.pdf).
building, accessible technology,
and engagement with students and
families.

2
Source: This content was developed as a result of district interviews conducted under a grant from the U.S.
Department of Education, #H327T180001. However, the contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S.
Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Project Officers:
Tara Courchaine, Ed.D., and Anita Vermeer, M.Ed.
Implementing Flexible
Learning in Your District

Flexible learning strategies can help spaces and flexible groupings do not
support districts in their efforts to improve student outcomes because
personalize learning and promote a district buys new furniture and
student agency and active learning, rearranges seats. Instead, these flexible
whether online or in the classroom. spaces encourage and require new ways
Flexible learning methods to personalize of thinking about teaching and learning
instruction can also help districts to and changes in the teacher-student
address learner variability in a more and student-student relationships. Here
inclusive learning environment, by are some questions that your district
building in student voice and choice in team might consider as you plan for
the ways in which students learn, engage implementing more flexible learning
with content, and demonstrate what strategies in your district include:
they know. • What is the relationship between
Planning for flexible environments physical and/or virtual space and
requires a shift in mindset and culture, as pedagogy? What teaching strategies
the roles of both teachers and students might be needed to make flexible
shift from teacher-led instruction to spaces successful?
student-centered and student-led • How can we implement more
learning. Although implementing flexible flexibility in our allocation of staff,
learning methods (physical space design, resources, and time? What teaching
furniture, and instructional settings) strategies might be possible with
can drive changes to pedagogy, more flexible scheduling?
teachers need additional professional
development and coaching support to • How can we extend flexible spaces,
make these transitions. Flexible learning groups, and scheduling to the way
we design learning pathways for
students? How can we make content
more flexible?
• How can we extend flexibility
into online and hybrid learning
environments in the event of future
remote learning?
As districts and families continue to
face uncertainty in how, when, and
where learning happens, flexible
learning strategies are critical for
creating more equitable, personalized,
and inclusive experiences for all
students in all settings. The following
resources from AIR can support your
district in implementing flexible learning:
• Strategy Reflection: Personalizing
Student Learning: https://
www.air.org/sites/default/files/
Strategy-Reflection-Personalized-
Learning-2020.pdf
• Personalized Learning: Visioning
Tool: https://www.air.org/sites/
default/files/Personalized-
Learning-visioning-tool-2020.pdf

• West Valley School District,

Yakima Washington (Personalized
Learning Spotlight): https://www.
air.org/sites/default/files/West-
Valley-School-District-spotlight-PL-
September-2020.pdf
References

Barrett, P., Davies, F., Zhang, Y., & Barrett, Kariippanon, K. E., Cliff, D. P., Lancaster,
L. (2015). The impact of classroom S. J., Okely, A. D., & Parrish, A. M. (2019).
design on pupils’ learning: Final results Flexible learning spaces facilitate
of a holistic, multi-level analysis. Building interaction, collaboration and behavioural
and Environment, 89, 118–133. engagement in secondary school. PloS
one, 14(10), e0223607. https://doi.
Crum, B. (2019, June 22). Researchers
org/10.1371/journal.pone.0223607
expanding flexible learning
environment study at Midway schools. Osher, D., Cantor, P., Berg, J., Steyer, L.,
Waco Tribune Herald. https://www. Rose, T., & Nolan, E. (2017). Science of
wacotrib.com/news/education/ learning and development: A synthesis.
researchers-expanding-flexible- American Institutes for Research.
learning-environment-study-at-
midway-schools/article_cd6bb8a9- Pane, J. F. (2018). Strategies for
203c-51f3-9e84-0b3bf2eb61a5.html implementing personalized learning
while evidence and resources are
Daviesa, D., Jindal-Snapeb, D., Collier, underdeveloped. RAND Corporation.
C., Digbya, R., Haya, P., & Howea, A. https://www.rand.org/pubs/
(2012). Creative learning environments perspectives/PE314.html
in education—A systematic literature
review. Centre for Research in Early Pane, J. F., Steiner, E. D., Baird, M. D.,
Scientific Learning. & Hamilton, L. S. (2015). Continued
progress: Promising evidence
on personalized learning. RAND
Corporation. https://www.rand.org/
pubs/research_reports/RR1365.html