1. 8 Week Course Survey An Examination of the Perceived Learning Environment of Accelerated vs. Traditional Courses

2. Definitions Traditional course: meets 2.5 hours per week, two or three times per week for 16 weeks – 37.5 hours of seat time 8-week course: meets 4 hours, once per week for 8 weeks – 32 hours of seat time – 3 ten minute breaks => 28 hours of seat time

3. Who Takes Evening Courses? EVENING COURSES 2008-09 CategoryFall 2008Spring 2009 Trad < 2538.4%47.1% Non Trad > 2561.6%52.9% FR5.1%7.3% SO8.9%10.0% JR14.0%16.9% SR30.4%33.3% GR33.6%28.0% Athlete21.4%23.9%

4. Majors of Students in Evening Courses FallSpringFallSpringFallSpring ACCT1613FIN35PSY108 ART411GBUS2228RADT20 BIOL716HIST46SCED2210 BMGT50IT49SOC45 BSNT43MATH52SWK22 COMM52MBA62THEO10 COUN14MGT1518UNDE1112 CRJU1727MKT112LBST01 ELED1924OTA75CHEM01 SONO04PREN10ENTR01

5. Group Participants Faculty Survey N = 51 32 Members of Arts and Sciences 19 Members of Professional Studies Student Survey N = 178 98 Traditional Students 78 Non-Traditional Students

6. Student Majors Traditional Majors Accounting 1 Science 22 Business 8 Humanities 5 Criminal Justice 2 Education 7 Healthcare Science 1 History 3 Information Technology 4 Liberal Studies 2 MBA 1 Nursing 6 OT 1 Psychology 4 Radiologic Tech 3 Theology 1 Undecided 3 Non-Traditional Majors Associates degree 1 Counseling 2 Biology 1 Business 8 Education 9 ESL 2 History 1 Liberal Arts 2 Graduate 17 Nursing 6 OTA 2 Radiology Tech 1 Respiratory Care 1 Education 2 Theology 1 MIS 2

7. Faculty: Volume of Material 69% report covering nearly identical volumes of material Of 20 Comments, 16 cited fewer assignments or topics covered …students become disgruntled if asked to read the same volume of material… …research papers are shorter and amount of required research is less… …hold 8 week course papers to lower standards…

8. Faculty Data: 4 Hour Time Blocks 64% report keeping students for entire 4 hour time block 68% disagree that students learn effectively for 4 hours …students cannot take anymore information…after 3 hours…even with multiple breaks…

9. Faculty: Overall Learning Environment 9% believe learning environment is better in 8 week format 62% believe learning environment is better in traditional format …it completely depends on the subject... …students get out of class what they put into it… …quality is same if not quantity…

10. Faculty: Other Scheduling Options 33% like current scheduling format and do not want any changes 75% would like to explore other scheduling options 79% agree that some courses work better in 8 week format and others work better in traditional format …[2 nd 8 week courses important for athletes and students who withdraw from courses]…

11. Faculty: Accelerated Course Attributes 52% to 13% prefer 16 week format over 8 week format 54% to 31% prefer one meeting time per week 20% to 59% prefer 4 hour meeting time …4 hour class is unreasonable… …3 hours max… …1 night per week meets needs of non- trads…growing population…

12. Student: Quality/Quantity of Learning 70% of TR and 85% of NT believe volume of work is the same 77% of TR and 78% of NT believe quality of work is the same 68% of TR and 73% of NT believe they learn as much in 8 week format

13. Student: Attributes of Accelerated Courses 64% of TR disagree they learn effectively for 4 hours 57% of NT agree they learn effectively for 4 hours 4 TR and 4 NT students report that All Courses meet for 2.5 hours or less The majority of students and faculty prefer 8 week courses have both TR and NT students

14. Students: 8 Week Offerings TR students do not want to make any changes in current scheduling of 8 week courses (53% to 28%) – But: 63% would like to explore other scheduling options NT students do not want to make any changes (63% to 29%) – But: 56% would like to explore other scheduling options

15. 16 Week/2 hour per Night Option TR students are evenly split over 16 week model over 8 week model (52% to 49%) NT students prefer current 8 week model over 16 week model (50% to 42%)

16. Attributes of Accelerated Course Important that courses meet 8 weeks vs. 16 weeks? – TR: 25% agree; 48% disagree – NT: 52% agree; 39% disagree Important that courses meet once per week? – TR: 39% agree; 48% disagree – NT: 73% agree; 7% disagree Like 4 hour time blocks? – TR: 66% do not like 4 hr blocks; 27% like them – NT: 38% do not like 4 hr blocks; 67% like them

17. Attributes of Accelerated Course Need accelerated courses? – TR: 38% agree; 34% disagree – NT: 73% agree; 18% disagree Should accelerated courses include a technological supplement to make up for less seat time? – TR: 41% agree; 39% disagree – NT: 56% agree; 28% disagree

18. Students: Variety of Formats? TR: 68% agree; 11% disagree NT: 77% agree; 12% disagree

19. Overall Learning Environment The same in either format – TR: 59% agree; NT: 74% agree Better in 8 week format – TR: 63% disagree; NT: 49% disagree (39% agree) Better in traditional format – TR: 61% agree; NT: 50% disagree

20. Advantages of 8 week format Traditional students (50 responses) – Finish quickly (43) Non-Traditional Students (50 responses) – Finish course more quickly (33)

21. Disadvantages of 8 week format Traditional Students (55 responses) – 4 hour time blocks (21) …lose focus after 2 hours, then the next 2 hours are hell… – Pace of course is too fast to learn material (20) Non-Traditional Students (48 responses) – 4 hour time blocks (8) – No disadvantages (6) – Pace of course is too fast (31) rushed time frame…temporary learning, not life-long learning…