Student Choice in Online Asynchronous Higher Education Courses

Providing choice in content, process, and product in online courses for students allows instructors to meet the diverse needs and interests of adult learners. By having a choice in what they read, how they complete reflections on their learning, and how they demonstrate and apply their knowledge, students can investigate areas of interest and apply information to their unique career aspirations. The goal of providing choice is to allow the instructor to work as a facilitator in a learner-centered—rather than teacher-centered—learning environment, promoting agency, self-regulation, and self-efficacy. These choices allow students authentic opportunities to engage in course content, therefore increasing relevance, which may result in increased receptiveness, deeper learning, and overall satisfaction with the course experience [1].

The benefits of providing choice in educational opportunities can be found within several educational theories, such as constructivist theory, the Montessori method, and self-determination theory. Constructivist theory, associated with the work conducted by Vygotsky, Dewey, Piaget, and Bruner, posits that learners construct knowledge through experiences and interactions [2– 5]. The benefits of choice in educational endeavors include a deeper understanding because activities are rooted in meaningful engagement. Montessori described the essential components of education as a combination of student choice, hands-on activities, and collaborative play to encourage independence and ownership over what students were learning [ 6]. Self-Determination Theory (SDT) describes the benefits of choice on personal motivation [ 7]. The core tenets of SDT include autonomy, relatedness, and competence. As students determine learning experiences, personal interest can enhance engagement and intrinsic motivation. These theories extend into adult education, but there are also specific theories that describe the needs of adult learners.

Knowles' Theory of Andragogy defines five characteristics of adult learners, which include being a self-directed individual, having a background of experiences from which to pull information, a readiness to learn based on developmental experiences, an orientation toward problem-centered learning to apply information, and an internal motivation to learn. Four principles Knowles described as beneficial to instructors in adult education include providing opportunities for the adults to participate in planning and evaluation, offering experiences, making the subject relevant, and using a problem-centered approach [8]. Self-directed learning (SDL), which is rooted in Andragogy, allows adult learners to make decisions about their personal learning needs, goals, and outcomes. Individuals identify avenues for acquiring and transforming information in a way that uses their background experiences and the context of their current circumstances [9].

The concept of Personalized Learning (PL) allows e-learning design to shift from a traditional, teacher-centered design to an adaptive and student-centered approach [10]. The instructional approach is created to meet the needs of the learners at each stage of the learning process [11, 12]. In Fariani et al.’s systematic literature review, the initial search resulted in 1,654 articles, with 39 articles meeting the selection criteria [11]. Only 18% of the articles reviewed stated which learning theory was used. Theories included constructivism, collaborative learning, case-based learning, critical thinking and metacognition, and self-regulated learning.

Studies included in Fariani et al.’s systematic literature review assessed the impact of PL on student learning objectives, time, and satisfaction. Some of the selected studies measured the impact of a PL system implementation with a control and experimental group, all resulting in improved learning outcomes [13–18]. Other studies demonstrated increased student engagement, participation, reduced learning time, and reduced cognitive load. No studies in the review addressed student motivation or interest. This present study sought to address those components, as well as the effect on making personal connections, comprehension, and opportunities to apply information to their current or future career goals.

Choice in Content

Choice in content allows students to personalize their learning by focusing on their areas of interest, learning profiles, and abilities. It also allows the student to tailor their own learning experience to their individual needs, which has been shown to increase engagement [19]. Students are given a sense of autonomy by being empowered to make their own decisions and manage their academic work. In addition, they can focus on future career aspirations by selecting content that aligns with their goals.

Choice in Process

Instructors can offer choices in the process by providing avenues for how students demonstrate comprehension. This can take the form of reflections on readings through written or video forms using different tools such as mind maps, graphic organizers, infographics, or other visual tools. They can also allow small group online meetings where students participate in open discussions to contemplate the content, which allows students to learn from their peers’ insights and develop the learning community [20]. In an online format, students can be provided with the choice of when and where to complete their assignments, allowing them to develop time management skills and autonomy to become independent learners.

Choice in Products

Instructors can offer choices in product format through options that align with course content, topics students investigate, and format. By varying these options, instructors can provide scaffolding for students who need more support and offer challenges for those who have prior knowledge or experience with the course topics. Using higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy can help the instructor craft these options. Within an online environment, educational technology can provide many resources for students to collaborate and produce their reflections and products. Many students utilize Google Workspace to collaborate on group projects. Students also find that Canva supports their own personal and collaborative efforts to create quality products to demonstrate their learning and comprehension. Allowing students to have a choice involves decision-making and evaluating the different choice options to see what best fits their needs. The students must assess the pros and cons of each option.

For undergraduate and graduate students, allowing them to follow areas of interest for their future careers can support their career readiness. Additionally, working within areas of strength can provide opportunities for success and build confidence in their abilities. Choice may not be an appropriate option for every assignment or requirement, but an increase in options for students can provide many positive outcomes for the students, their learning, and engagement in the content/course. 

Course Design

Instructors can use a model as the foundation for organizing courses in a format that provides the opportunity for student choice. One student-centered model that allows for student choice and agency is the STAR (Software Technology for Action and Reflection) Legacy Model, which is based on the “How People Learn” framework [21]. The STAR.Legacy consists of six phases of the learning cycle: a challenge, generating ideas, considering multiple perspectives, researching and revising, testing your mettle, and going public. Choice can be included throughout the stages as students read content, engage in understanding other perspectives, and apply what they have learned [22]. 

Case Study

In a pilot study at a regional university in the southeast United States, researchers provided differentiation in courses through choice in content, different avenues to reflect on information, and application projects designed to meet the needs of diverse student populations enrolled in the courses. Researchers surveyed students toward the end of the semester to understand the impact of choices on student engagement, commitment to the task, interest in the topic, knowledge gained, ability to make connections, challenges faced, reasons for making decisions, and influence on future practices [23]. The population represented students with majors in education, communication and science disorders, and psychology. Students responded to Likert scale questions on a scale of 1 to 10 and responded to open-ended questions. The ten-point scale was selected to allow respondents to express more precise opinions and to detect small changes in attitudes or perceptions, accommodating a broader range of responses. Researchers included open-ended questions to collect information about what influenced the participants’ decision-making process and to further understand how having a choice in content, process, and product impacted their experiences. The survey was administered to 88 students throughout four courses, with N=49 completing the survey.

Each course consisted of six two-week modules based on the STAR.Legacy model. Researchers offered a choice in content to students by providing multiple means of accessing content. Students were allowed to choose from textbook chapters, podcasts, websites, and articles for each assignment to personalize their experience and preference for learning. These choices allowed them to investigate topics in more detail.

The process was differentiated for choice in posting reflections about content. Students were asked to reflect on their acquired knowledge through written reflection, video reflection, or small group discussion recorded by video. These choices allowed students the ability to collaborate with others or express themselves through video or writing. Next, the students were required to choose at least two of their peers’ reflections and respond to them. The students were able to pick from peers who had read and reflected on the same or different materials than they did. They could provide answers and thoughts to questions posed or ask additional questions to the original poster. The small group video discussion required that each student bring a list of open-ended questions to their meeting. These discussions allowed for authentic conversations where students met with others from different geographic areas across the state and diverse school environments.

For choice in projects, students had the opportunity to work individually or in small groups, selecting between 4 and 16 different options to showcase their knowledge. Researchers used Bloom’s Taxonomy and consideration of students’ future career options to design the projects. In courses with a mix of undergraduate and graduate students, projects were differentiated to provide support for undergraduate students and rigor for graduate students. Graduate students were encouraged to reflect on their previous professional experiences and expertise and create products that were meaningful to their professional careers. These choices allowed students to complete authentic projects to showcase their knowledge and understanding of the material. The students were required to choose two peers’ projects to respond to and reflect upon, providing an opportunity to gain additional knowledge as the students were learning from their peers.

Examples of projects:

• Canva to design digital flyers about social and emotional issues of exceptional children
• Padlet to design lesson plans for children with learning disabilities
• Google Forms to gather data about children’s interests, abilities, and learning preferences
• Zoom to create presentations or podcasts about diversity and equity
• Slide decks about characteristics of twice-exceptional students for professional development or a conference presentation

Quantitative Results

Survey results showed the strongest impact on student learning with having choice in content and choice in product. Scores with choice in process were slightly lower but still positive (see Table 1).

Table 1. Quantitative results: Average score on a Likert 10-point scale (N=49).

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Qualitative Results

Content

Student responses for choice in content described how selecting items allowed them to make connections with personal experiences in their classrooms or with clients. They also explained how the topics served as “jumping off points to explore topics in more depth.” Several described their preference in format—written text, podcast, video, or websites. Two described the importance of choice in regard to their career goals:  

“I really enjoyed being able to research topics that were pertinent to my first year in the classroom. For instance, I have a student that I would consider 2e (twice-exceptional), so I researched more about this topic and related my research to my relationship with that student.”

“We were given an assignment where we were allowed to choose between a variety of different short films about students that struggled with a variety of emotional disabilities. I was able to decide between the ones that felt most relevant to my work. All of the podcasts were enjoyable but as a busy professional who works in the field it is nice to be able to choose what was most pertinent to me rather than having to read through a ton of information that does not apply to the work that I do.”

Process

For process, students described how they selected a variety of ways to engage on the discussion board or how they used the same strategy each time. The small group meetings and traditional written reflections were the most popular. Those who chose small group discussions described the benefits of preparing for discussions and collaborating with others. Although students described how they tried new experiences by posting a personal video response and enjoyed how videos allow others to understand personal opinions that might not typically be understood in written reflections, classmates did not respond as often to these posts. Other students described how the process allowed for authentic contributions to the discussions or the valuable feedback they received. Two participants described their appreciation for having options:  

“I loved having the opportunity to talk through the module's topics, rather than writing it out. I felt that having a conversation spurred more genuine ideas than interacting on a typical discussion board, and it was something I looked forward to completing rather than just checking it off my list.&rdquo

“I mostly chose to complete the assignment by completing a written response because I feel that is the way I am best able to express my thoughts. However, as a mother of a child with learning differences, I greatly appreciated that there were opportunities to show learning in a variety of different ways.”

Products

Students demonstrated their knowledge in a variety of formats, working individually or in small groups to create products. They described their appreciation for academic freedom to pursue personalized topics and for the variety of products to select from in each module. Several described how the products they created, such as websites, podcasts, and flyers, could be used currently or in the future. In addition, participants explained how they learned to use new forms of technology. Several described how the projects were meaningful and challenging.  Two participants shared how the personal choice increased their learning in a meaningful way: 

“I really enjoyed being able to choose the activities to showcase my learning for each module's projects. It gave me the opportunity to look through webinars, podcasts, projects, technology tools, and more in order to best showcase my learning. I found several resources that I will continue using in my career.”

“I enjoyed being able to work with groups to complete projects. I participated in a book study and gained useful understanding from reading about a topic and getting to discuss with others about the topic. I enjoyed getting to choose from several project options to reflect on and connect to the learning that I had in our textbook.”

Discussion and Key Lessons

By allowing students to have a choice in their readings, they moved through the curriculum in ways that were most relevant and optimal for them. Students were able to engage deeply by connecting course materials to their personal and professional experiences. They expressed a preference for formats that suited their learning preferences and career needs, ranging from written texts to multimedia options like podcasts and videos. This autonomy allowed them to explore topics that were directly relevant to their goals, as illustrated by one student who chose to research "twice-exceptional" students, aligning the assignment with their real-world teaching experiences.

Providing pathways in asynchronous classes can allow for authenticity as students select choices and acquire new skills, making the experience more meaningful along the way while allowing students a sense of ownership over their learning. Students expressed appreciation for having multiple avenues for participation, whether through traditional written responses, group discussions, or video reflections. This flexibility allowed them to select methods that best suited their communication styles and preferences. For example, some participants found that talking through topics in small group meetings resulted in more authentic and spontaneous exchanges, while others preferred written responses as they felt more comfortable expressing themselves through writing.

Students selected projects that aligned with their current or future career goals. Some were able to immediately implement these into their classrooms with students, while others planned to use what they designed in future speech and language therapy sessions. From creating podcasts to designing flyers, students valued the freedom to choose projects that were not only aligned with their interests but also could be used beyond the classroom. This personalization enhanced their engagement and enabled them to acquire new skills, making the learning process both enjoyable and impactful. 

References

About the Authors

Kristy K. Doss is an assistant professor at Western Carolina University. She instructs courses in gifted and special education, including differentiation methods for gifted and creative learners, teacher leadership, social/emotional issues of exceptional and gifted learners, and instructional technology in personalized learning environments to promote collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking. Her research interests include creativity, instructional methods in higher education, problem-based learning, mindfulness, twice-exceptional learners, and curriculum in gifted education. She is the co-author of Creativity for Learning: Tools, Strategies, and Environments for Nurturing Creative Thinking in the Classroom.

Jasmin Poor is an adjunct professor at Western Carolina University. She is an experienced educator with a demonstrated history of working in the e-learning and informal education industries. She earned a master's degree in gifted, creative, and innovative education from Western Carolina University and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction focusing on educational technology from the University of South Carolina. Her interests are in K-12 and higher education, literacy, coaching, classroom management, program development, and lesson planning. Currently, she works full-time at a science center.

Lisa Bloom is professor emeritus and the former Jay M. Robinson distinguished professor of instructional technology at Western Carolina University, where she has been a member of the faculty since 1989. Her current research interests include using technology to personalize learning environments and to promote creative and critical thinking, problem-based learning, culturally responsive teaching, and the social and emotional well-being of children. She is the author of Classroom Management: Creating Positive Outcomes for All Students published by Pearson, as well as numerous journal articles related to her research interests. She is the co-author of Creativity for Learning: Tools, Strategies, and Environments for Nurturing Creative Thinking in the Classroom.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License.