Contemplating Flexibility in Chemistry Education

ABSTRACT

Many chemistry educators have taken to heart design guidelines proposed for teaching during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Often these guidelines incorporate suggestions for helping students encounter more flexible demands for their learning of course material. As educational settings return to modalities that more closely resemble prepandemic ones, the question has emerged as to the potential value of maintaining enhanced levels of flexibility for students. Such a choice can certainly be considered from the perspective of pedagogical theories, but it remains equally important to incorporate the idea that teachers and instructors require flexibility as well in the new paradigms that may emerge for formal learning. Keeping both desirable facets of educational flexibility in mind represents a core concept that merits consideration as future plans for teaching and learning are discussed.