The Relaxed Tutorial Project: a new way of looking at accessibility in distance learning

by Cora Beth Fraser, Associate Lecturer in Classical Studies

The objective of the Relaxed Tutorial Project was to see what would happen if common sources of social anxiety were removed from the online teaching environment. What would a ‘relaxed’ learning experience look like?

The Relaxed Tutorial Project was envisaged as an accessibility adjustment for Open University distance learning students who might be too anxious to attend live online classes (called ‘tutorials’ at the OU). We on the Project team modelled our principles on the 'relaxed' events which in recent years have become common in the Arts and Heritage sector. In Relaxed theatre performances and cinema showings, sensory and social pressures are reduced to accommodate different preferences and sensitivities. Relaxed events were originally created to respond to the needs of autistic children and their families; but like many accessibility adjustments, they have become popular with lots of other groups too.

In designing our relaxed tutorials we started from the same point, by thinking in the first instance about the needs of autistic and neurodivergent students. After research into sensory and social barriers to learning, several basic principles of ‘relaxed’ teaching began to emerge.

1.         Being put on the spot – or the fear of being put on the spot – can prevent people from taking up educational opportunities.

2.         Many neurodivergent students prefer communication by text chat, rather than speaking in public.

3.         Webcams can be a source of stress to many students, neurodivergent and otherwise.

4.         Break-out rooms can be socially awkward and intimidating.

5.         Sending out slides in advance is an important accessibility adjustment.

In response to these observations, we sent out the following commitment to students:

In a Relaxed tutorial you will:

Not be recorded;

Not be expected to use the microphone;

Not be asked to switch on your webcam;

Not be put on the spot, or called upon by name;

Not be put into a breakout room.

We also committed to sending slides out in advance; and to allow students to leave and rejoin the session whenever they needed to.

We ran the experimental tutorial sessions on a Level 3 module in Classical Studies (A340: The Roman Empire), as an option alongside other tutorials. We did not restrict our invitation to neurodivergent students; instead we opened the sessions to anyone who thought they might benefit from our ‘relaxed’ approach.

We were delighted to see a great deal of interest from students, with tutorial attendance numbers more than double the number we might usually expect. Given the high numbers (sometimes more than 70 students in a single session), we were particularly curious to find out how the removal of compulsory (or even expected) participation would affect the dynamic of the session – would it turn into a one-way lecture?

Interestingly, it didn’t. Participation rates in the chat box averaged an astonishing 90% of attendees, far more that we would usually see – so removing all pressure to contribute actually seemed to increase interactivity!

The Relaxed Tutorial Project ran for two years (2021-23), and at the end of each year we sent out a survey to find out what participants thought about the relaxed tutorial sessions. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with lots of students demanding more relaxed tutorials! Relaxed tutorials were identified as helpful by students with chronic illness or recovering from a stroke, students with caring responsibilities, students working from home, and students dealing with fatigue or anxiety, as well as the neurodivergent students who were our initial target group. Some attendees found the text chat too fast-paced, particularly students with arthritis and dyslexia, so the relaxed sessions weren’t suitable for all; but it was clear from the feedback that many groups of students found relaxed tutorials to be a welcome addition to the accessibility adjustments available.

The Project is now concluded; but relaxed tutorials are continuing to run on the Roman Empire module in response to demand. They are also being rolled out to a Level 2 Classical Studies module (A229: Exploring the Classical World), and the relaxed principles are being considered by other programmes and faculties. It’s exciting to see other groups and initiatives thinking about how to offer a ‘relaxed’ option, and about how to adapt the accessibility principles we’ve developed to suit their own contexts.

For more information,  please do contact me at CoraBeth.Fraser@open.ac.uk

Project Team

Dr Naoko Yamagata

Dr Cora Beth Fraser

Dr Ardle Mac Mahon

Dr Trevor Fear