Flexible Submission Policy and Its Impact on Student Learning

In STEM higher education, the practice of setting hard deadlines for assignments without the possibility of late submission or with harsh penalties for late submissions is main-stream and rarely challenged. In this paper, we argue in favor of implementing a flexible late submission policy, and share our experiences in implementing a no-late-submission-penalty policy in two computer science courses. Students are overwhelmingly supportive of the policy. In addition to presenting the anecdotal evidence, we analyze the theoretical foundation for the submission policy. It appears that the traditional hard deadline submission policy is influenced by behaviorism in which the learner is modeled as a passive entity that is molded by operant conditioning. However, newer learning theories, including cognitivism, constructivism, and humanism, are treating the learner as an active agent that is influenced not just by external stimulus and conditioning, but also by the individual's affection, motivation, culture, as well as past knowledge and experiences. As such, assignment submission policy must be designed accordingly so that it is conducive for learning.