Designing Accelerated Courses
Course credit/contact hours
In most accelerated courses, classes often meet every day of the term to achieve the required number of contact hours. In addition to scheduled classes, courses often include a final exam, project, or activity.
Semester credit | Contact | Three-week class* | Six-week class* | Eight-week class* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
4 | 60 | 4 hours/day for 15 days | 2 hours/day for 30 days | 1.5 hours/day for 40 days |
3 | 45 | 3 hours/day for 15 days | 1.5 hours/day for 30 days | 70 minutes/day for 40 days |
2 | 30 | 2 hours/day for 15 days | 1 hour/day for 30 days | 45 minutes/day for 40 days |
1 | 15 | 1 hour/day for 15 days | 50 minutes/day, 3 times/week | 1 hour/day, 2 times/week |
Usually, students also complete two hours of outside-of-class homework activities for each in-class hour. Because of this workload, students are limited to no more than four credits during a Tiger Term.
Attributes of effective accelerated courses
These attributes that lead to positive learning experiences and outcomes for students (Scott, 2003) can guide the design for any course-delivery mode: face-to-face, flipped, blended/hybrid, or online.
Instructor Characteristics
Student satisfaction and outcomes are positive when instructors…
- Exhibit enthusiasm for the subject and for teaching
- Have content expertise plus experience with the topic, allowing them to bring the subject “to life”
- Step out of the teacher role and become side-by-side learners as well
- Develop strong relationships with each student as an individual
Classroom Environment
Student satisfaction and outcomes are positive when…
- There is a comfortable physical environment
- Instructors foster close student-student and student-teacher relationships to increase the level of trust and participation
- Instructors establish a relaxed, supportive, nonjudgmental atmosphere
Teaching Methods
Student satisfaction and outcomes are positive when…
- Instructors use a variety of teaching methods to maintain student motivation and interest
- Active learning is the predominant course framework
- Small and large group discussions allow students to verbalize their understanding
- Instructors incorporate experiential teaching methods such as problem solving, role playing, simulations, field trips, and skills practice
- Instructors are organized and present the material in an easy-to-follow manner
- Course design emphasizes depth over breadth
Evaluation Methods
Student satisfaction and outcomes are positive when…
- Assignments can be readily accomplished within the shorter timeframe
- Assignments and homework are meaningful (versus “busywork”)
- Assessments include in-class group assignments
Instructors use essay exams, which allowed students to demonstrate their knowledge better; take-home exams, which give students time to communicate what they have learned; or frequent quizzes.
The Student Learning Outcomes Assessment Office can provide additional assessment strategies for accelerated courses (see: Intensive Course Assessment Resources).
Quick tips for designing time-intensive courses
- Eliminate “nice to know” content to focus on a few topics in depth.
- Prepare the entire course in advance to avoid “wasted” time there during the course.
- Include frequent, short assignments to help students stay on track with frequent practice and feedback.
- Reduce required reading to just the most necessary.
- Assign some reading to individuals or groups who summarize the content for the rest of the class to help students manage the reading load.
- Help students maintain focus and energy by varying the pace and frequently changing classroom activities (10-minute micro-lecture, 15-minute think-pair-share, 5-minute group report out, 15-minute individual exercise).
- Be accessible outside of class time so students don’t have to wait a few hours or a day to meet with you or receive an e-mail response.
- Provide study aids like practice tests, lecture notes, and/or study guides, since students will have less time to prepare for tests.
