Shorter Courses = More Learning?

The Chronicle, a higher education industry news source, published a blog post several weeks ago and I’ve been meaning to discuss it here. The post, Can Shorter Classes Mean More Learning?, was about a University of Texas study researching the impact of shorter classes.

The study, essentially researched the difference between traditional semester length courses and those of an accelerated time line. The doctoral student and research team looked at several courses and measured learning outcomes. The final conclusion, which in doctoral research is not entirely conclusive but rather evidence supporting a hypothesis, was that accelerated courses resulted in more learning. The factors included more focused time and stronger bond with instructor.

As someone who is in an accelerated format, I tend to agree that the shorter, more focused classes result in more substantial learning. However, it is important to understand that the University of Phoenix format scaffolds learning from one course to the next to further crystallize the learning outcomes. Additionally, the model calls for students to apply the learning outside the classroom and report the outcomes back to the class through papers, discussions, and projects.

Combine my own experience at University of Phoenix, with the University of Texas research and you find another set of research questions?

• What impact does scaffolding of accelerated courses have on student learning?
• What impact does experiential application of learning have in an accelerated course on learning outcomes?

On a little tangent, the comments on the Chronicle post are remarkably narrow-minded. I’ve been critical of the Chronicle, in the past, as a biased industry rag that does not embrace the evolution of higher education and seeks to preserve the legacy models of education that do not meet the changing demands of students/customers. I have also praised the Chronicle for telling unbiased stories about alternative models of education. However, the comments, largely, show the myopic nature of the commenters.

Comments range from cautionary notes to the researcher to control their own message vs. letting marketing confuse the real science being done (I agree) to let’s measure the learning outcomes one-year post class and a series of traditional educators disagreement with study using their own experience as evidence.

Measuring a student’s retention one year after class and using that as evidence is irresponsible science. Educational research shows that long term retention requires application of the learning through some experience. It is the old adage, if you don’t use it; you lose it. I would pushback to those commenters to allow for a blind survey of their students one year after classes and check retention.

In terms of the dissenters’ experience as evidence, we need to remember that course and curriculum design must consider time lines too. Having done accelerated classes at a semester-based and tradition-rich school and University of Phoenix, there is a difference. Most traditional schools will simply extend hours, talk faster, and skip things to make the 15 or 16 week course fit. However, structuring the course to accommodate the time is more than that. A professional educator would include activities and modalities that enhance learning while shortening time.

Is accelerated for every professor? No. Hell No. Dismissing the science simply because the model is not appealing to you, you haven’t been able to make it work, you lack the skills necessary to teach in such a model, etc. is poor discourse.

Can shorter classes mean more learning? The comments that say, let’s investigate further are on the mark. Good science means repeated trials and studies. On the surface I think the accelerated model works, at least for me, but I know that more study is needed.

Kudos to John V. Kucsera, Dr. Dawn M. Zimmaro and Avani G. Trivedi for taking up the research and I am hopeful to see more on the topic.

Image Source: Vito’

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