Rolling Deadlines (Flexible Assessment)
Rolling deadlines, which are alternatively called flexible assessments, exemplify a method where the students submit their assignments or assessments in different periods during a certain window, as opposed to submitting them by a specific time. Devising this method is supportive of the different types of learning and also a way to show sympathy to student's life dilemmas, hence it promotes both student engagement and minimization of stress arising from strict deadlines.
This is a beautiful idea of how rolling deadlines with their flexibility can help students to manage their time in a more effective way and at the same time enjoy balance between studies and personal. For instance, a student with a part-time job or caring for a child can select the best time while he is most prepared to submit his work, as a result, he has a better performance and feels less anxiety.
Allowing the teachers to get submissions at different times can be one of the ways to use the rolling deadlines to improve the assessment process, which, in turn, can enhance the quality of feedback and engagement. The instructors can preferably provide the students with particular support and tools when they submit their work and, as a result, the students will have a more personalized learning experience and develop their skills continuously.
Definitely, introducing rolling deadlines can have difficulties such as maintaining the fairness in grading, as some students might turn in their assignments prior to others. Teachers need to outline explicit instructions concerning the last time they are going to give feedback and grade in order to keep the level of fairness. Besides, it takes efficient programming and accurate information flow to handle different submission schedules well.
Using digital platforms for tracking submissions and giving reminders to students is one way to cope with rolling deadlines by educators. The way to maintain organization is to clarify the rules, such as the minimum submission time for feedback, and to measure the structured support with the help of the scheduled support sessions. For example, sharing a rubric with the scoring criteria can enable learners to stay on track with deadlines and mediate them in achieving the learning objectives.