From Rigidity to Responsiveness: Post-Pandemic Syllabus Policy Shifts and Student Perceptions of Instruction

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Sunday 1:45 pm - Gold 4
  In Roundtable Session: Student Experiences in Online Learning Environments

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a rapid shift to emergency remote teaching, disrupting many instructional norms in higher education. While student outcomes have been widely studied, less is known about how instructors adapted course policies and how those changes influenced student perceptions of teaching quality. This explanatory sequential mixed methods study examined student evaluation of teaching (SET) trends from 2018-2022 using data from nine undergraduate social science courses (n = 890). Quantitative analysis revealed mixed SET score trends. To contextualize these results, a qualitative review of 20 paired syllabi (10 pre- and 10 post-pandemic) from 27 instructors identified shifts toward more flexible, student-centered policies. The findings underscore the need for institutional support that treats flexibility as central to high-quality instruction.

Author

• Melissa S. Ramge, University of South Florida