ACCELERATED
CLASSES
George E. Smith
Performing & Visual Arts / Media Studies
OUTCOMES
As a result of this session …
þ Define “accelerated” within
the context of schedule options
þ Identify traits of well-designed
SLOs for both traditional &
“accelerated” formats
þ Compare & contrast levels of rigor
PERSPECTIVES
Course formats/schedules
• Winterim (2 wks in January)
• Pre-session (3 wks in May/June)
• Summer (4 & 8 wks in June/July)
• SUCCEED schedule (3 + 5 wks)
• Two 3-hour blocks per wk x 8 wks
• Other 5- & 6-week courses
PERSPECTIVES
What Students Say
• “Easier … less rigor … enjoyed”
• “Get to know professors better”
(function of intensive time together)
• Less time between lecture/text &
testing = less studying required …
(possibly) better test performance
ASSUMPTIONS
Time is a “zero-sum” game.
• In-class vs. out-of-class
responsibilities
• Instructor and student fatigue
• Reduced responsibilities for
other courses (during
accelerated calendar)
ASSUMPTIONS
Trade-offs?
• Loss of course rigor?
• Turn-around time for
student assignments
• Turn-around time for
grading & feedback
• Instructor preparation time
ASSUMPTIONS
And what if the
accelerated course
were also a new
prep for me?
Trade-offs?
• Loss of course rigor
• Turn-around time for
student assignments
• Turn-around time for
grading & feedback
• Instructor preparation time
CONCERNS
• Increased enrollment efficiency?
• Reduced time to graduation (i.e.,
taking Winterim / summer classes)?
• Maintaining rigor, standards
& quality control?
• What are the trade-offs?
ACCELERATED CONTACT HOURS
NUMBER OF CREDITS (15 CONTACT HR/CR)
CONTACT
HOURS
PER DAY î
1 CR
2 CR
3 CR
4 CR
5 CR
5 CR
15-16
30-32
45-48
60-64
75-80
90-95
HRS
HRS
HRS
HRS
HRS
HRS*
2-WK COURSE 1.5 HRS 3 HRS 4.5 HRS 6.0 HRS 7.5 HRS 9.0 HRS
4 DAYS 2 HRS 3.8 HRS 5.6 HRS 7.5 HRS 9.4 HRS 11.3 HRS
3-WK COURSE
1 HR
2 HRS
3.0 HRS 4.5 HRS
5 HRS
6 HRS
4 DAYS 1.3 HRS 2.5 HRS 3.8 HRS 5 HRS 6.3 HRS 7.5 HRS
DEFINING
“ACCELERATED”
1 HR 1.5 HRS 2 HRS 2.5 HRS 3 HRS
4-WK COURSE 0.9 HR 1.5 HRS 2.3 HRS 3 HRS 3.8 HRS 4.5 HRS
4 DAYS 1 HR 1.9 HRS 2.8 HRS 3.8 HRS 4.7 HRS 5.6 HRS
6-WK COURSE
4 DAYS
8-WK COURSE
1.3 HRS 1.9 HRS 2.5 HRS 3.1 HRS 3.8 HRS
4 DAYS
0.9 HR 1.4 HRS 1.9 HRS 2.3 HRS 2.8 HRS
0.8 HR 1.2 HRS 1.5 HRS 1.9 HRS 1.5 HRS
*LECTURE + LAB/DISCUSSION SECTION
ACCELERATED CONTACT HOURS
NUMBER OF CREDITS (15 CONTACT HR/CR)
CONTACT
HOURS
PER DAY î
1 CR
2 CR
3 CR
4 CR
5 CR
5 CR
15-16
30-32
45-48
60-64
75-80
90-95
HRS
HRS
HRS
HRS
HRS
HRS*
2-WK COURSE 1.5 HRS 3 HRS 4.5 HRS 6.0 HRS 7.5 HRS 9.0 HRS
4 DAYS 2 HRS 3.8 HRS 5.6 HRS 7.5 HRS 9.4 HRS 11.3 HRS
3-WK COURSE
1 HR
2 HRS
3.0 HRS 4.5 HRS
5 HRS
6 HRS
4 DAYS 1.3 HRS 2.5 HRS 3.8 HRS 5 HRS 6.3 HRS 7.5 HRS
4-WK COURSE 0.8 HR 1.5 HRS 2.3 HRS 3 HRS 3.8 HRS 4.5 HRS
4 DAYS 1 HR 1.9 HRS 2.8 HRS 3.8 HRS 4.7 HRS 5.6 HRS
6-WK COURSE
1 HR
1.5 HRS
2 HRS
2.5 HRS
3 HRS
4 DAYS
8-WK COURSE
1.3 HRS 1.9 HRS 2.5 HRS 3.1 HRS 3.8 HRS
4 DAYS
0.9 HR 1.4 HRS 1.9 HRS 2.3 HRS 2.8 HRS
0.8 HR 1.2 HRS 1.5 HRS 1.9 HRS 1.5 HRS
*LECTURE + LAB/DISCUSSION SECTION
ASSUMPTIONS
• 15-16 contact
hrs per credit
• If classes
meet five
days/week
(four days/
week also
shown) …
• Avg. hours/day
are “bumped”
slightly.
• Lecture + lab /
discussion
“bumps” one
column.
ACCELERATED CONTACT HOURS
NUMBER OF CREDITS (15 CONTACT HR/CR)
CONTACT
HOURS
PER DAY î
1 CR
2 CR
3 CR
4 CR
5 CR
5 CR
15-16
30-32
45-48
60-64
75-80
90-95
HRS
HRS
HRS
HRS
HRS
HRS*
2-WK COURSE 1.5 HRS 3 HRS 4.5 HRS 6.0 HRS 7.5 HRS 9.0 HRS
4 DAYS 2 HRS 3.8 HRS 5.6 HRS 7.5 HRS 9.4 HRS 11.3 HRS
3-WK COURSE
1 HR
2 HRS
3.0 HRS 4.5 HRS
5 HRS
6 HRS
4 DAYS 1.3 HRS 2.5 HRS 3.8 HRS 5 HRS 6.3 HRS 7.5 HRS
4-WK COURSE 0.8 HR 1.5 HRS 2.3 HRS 3 HRS 3.8 HRS 4.5 HRS
4 DAYS 1 HR 1.9 HRS 2.8 HRS 3.8 HRS 4.7 HRS 5.6 HRS
6-WK COURSE
1 HR
1.5 HRS
2 HRS
2.5 HRS
3 HRS
4 DAYS
8-WK COURSE
1.3 HRS 1.9 HRS 2.5 HRS 3.1 HRS 3.8 HRS
4 DAYS
0.9 HR 1.4 HRS 1.9 HRS 2.3 HRS 2.8 HRS
0.8 HR 1.2 HRS 1.5 HRS 1.9 HRS 1.5 HRS
*LECTURE + LAB/DISCUSSION SECTION
POTENTIAL ADJUSTMENTS
Assumptions
Number of ‘meeting days’
impacted by …
• Holidays (e.g., Memorial Day, July 4th)
• Beginning on Tuesday/Wednesday
• Balance of lecture, discussion
& lab hours (e.g., natural sciences)
POTENTIAL ADJUSTMENTS
Assumptions
• For 1~2-credit courses meeting
over four or more weeks, contact
hours are less than one per day.
• May result in meeting only three or
four days per week (e.g., summer)
POTENTIAL ADJUSTMENTS
Assumptions
• For 1~2-credit courses meeting
over four or more weeks, contact
hours are less than one per day.
• May result in meeting only three or
four days per week (e.g., summer)
• Most courses 3 or more credits
POTENTIAL ADJUSTMENTS
Assumptions
• “Formulaic attitude” assumes
less face time equals less rigor,
i.e., lower standards. L
Potential solution …
• Reduce enrollment in activity/labbased courses (e.g., Public Speaking).
POTENTIAL ADJUSTMENTS
Assumptions
• 3+ hours of face time = fatigue
(instructors and students)
Potential solutions …
• Split 4+ hours of contact with a
mid-day (lunch) break.
• Do something other than lecture!
POTENTIAL ADJUSTMENTS
Assumptions
• Many students have summer jobs.
• School commitment vs. job?
Potential solution …
• Schedule courses early morning or
late afternoon/evening to permit
full-time (i.e., midday) employment.
POTENTIAL ADJUSTMENTS
Assumptions
Changing learning outcomes or
reducing contact hours creates a
different experience, i.e., creates
a different course.
• ‘Likely’ reduces standards & rigor
• Yields ‘easier’ course image
DISCIPLINARY FACTORS
Amount of time outside of class …
• Required text readings
• Assignment research & writing
• Development of higher-order
skills (e.g., critical thinking)
cannot be “forced.”
• Abridged interactions?
DISCIPLINARY FACTORS
• So why does accelerated format
work for some classes (e.g., Public
Speaking) but not for others?
• ENGL 1130 or 1230
• Math courses (especially 4-5 crs)
• Rigor of oral communication
vs. written communication
DISCIPLINARY FACTORS
• Without changing course’s SLOs or
content, can assessment strategies
be altered to provide flexibility?
• Can group assignments replace
individual assignments?
• Can assigned online readings
replace textbook readings?
TECHNOLOGY FACTORS
• Abridged lecture components
pre-recorded … accessible online
to allow individual pacing
• As necessary, students repeat
recorded pre-recorded lectures.
• Reduced instructor fatigue
• Online submissions (e.g., D2L)
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Course Rigor & Standards
• Do accelerated formats justify
changes in course outcomes?
• Are rigor & standards lower?
• How does the “experience” differ?
• Which course elements require
longer development period?
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• Syllabus: Course-specific
SLOs … discuss first day
• Learner—not instructor—oriented
• Action verbs (rather than content)
• Multiple assessment measures
• Inclusion of Core Education
outcomes (if appropriate)
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Articulating Expectations
• What they can expect of you
• What you expect of them
è
• Time frame for checking D2L,
submitting assignments, etc.
• Quality standards (an “A”
paper, a “B” paper, etc.)
HIGHER-ORDER SKILLS
Analyze
Evaluate
Create
_______________________________________________________________________
Apply
______________________________________________________
Understand
______________________________________
Remember
Cognitive domain categories of Bloom’s Taxonomy
HIGHER-ORDER SKILLS
Analyze
Evaluate
Create
_______________________________________________________________________
Apply
______________________________________________________
Understand
______________________________________
Remember
Presumption
Lower-order
skills met
Cognitive domain categories of Bloom’s Taxonomy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Articulating Expectations
• Ask students to explain how they
perceive accelerated courses to
differ from “regular” courses.
• Then explain how you perceive this
course to be different … and how
that impacts students’ approaches.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Articulating Expectations
• Even though you’ve been teaching
for 20 years—particular in an
accelerated format …
• “Good practice” to reflect on
how approaches to teaching &
learning might differ, especially
higher-order skills.
ACCELERATED
CLASSES
George E. Smith
Performing & Visual Arts / Media Studies