Free Webinar: Stress-Free Course Policies: Supporting Student Learning & Easing Anxiety Without the Extra Work

Today’s undergraduate students experience high levels of anxiety, which can hinder their learning. Course policies grounded in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles can help alleviate student anxiety by supporting both cognitive and emotional aspects of learning, thus promoting learner agency. This webinar will present findings from several semesters of student surveys that indicate common stressors and reveal ways UDL-based course policies can decrease anxiety. 

The webinar will focus on two course policies that reduce stress for students while maintaining manageable workloads for instructors. The first policy addresses flexible late work submissions, including examples, implementation techniques, and student feedback on specific policies. The presenter will also share data she’s collected where students report just having these policies available to them reduces their anxiety and the number of students who actually utilize late-work policies are far fewer than one might expect. The second policy covers the acceptance of multiple assignment formats (e.g., audio, video, written), offering practical strategies for grading efficiency. The session will conclude with reflections on survey feedback and actionable takeaways for creating low-stress, anxiety-reducing classroom environments.