Accelerated courses in higher ed, also known as intensive, short, or condensed courses, first emerged in the 1970s (Johnson, 2009). Intensive courses are typically offered in Summer and January terms, but can also be offered as condensed 6-week, 8-week, or 12-week courses during the Fall or Spring semester. With increasing modalities of instruction such as online asynchronous, online synchronous, and hybrid learning, researchers are asking, “Do intensive courses hinder or help student learning?”
I appreciate “use cases,” which entail looking at the pros and cons and determining appropriate circumstances for different learning methods. It’s important to formulate opinions for healthy discussion about intensive courses, but as responsible educators, learning designers, and researchers, we must consider the utility of teaching strategies and formats before we make assumptions about effectiveness. For example, woolen mittens are warm (pro) and often itchy (con). Therefore, woolen mittens may be useful during winter in northern and southern latitudes, but likely aren’t helpful in the Tropics. And they may be useful for folks who like natural fibers, but not for those with skin sensitivities. It’s not a "one size fits all" (pun intended).
There are various benefits associated with accelerated courses. For example, students can learn with urgency from an expert instructor, which might improve their time management skills and build a close community. Some professors even report that they’re students are more focused during accelerated courses (Hyun et al., 2006). Additionally, in one study of quantitative mathematics courses, researchers found no statistically significant difference in student performance when comparing an accelerated 8-week course final exam performance with that of a traditional 16-week version of the course (Walsh et al., 2019). Though it’s yet to be seen if this kind of research finding is transferable across course subjects, populations, credit hours, and modalities, it appears that condensed courses do not hinder student learning.
On the other hand, accelerated courses might compromise student learning in certain contexts. For example, in one study, English and writing professors believed that the intensive course format was not optimal due to the time required evolve and develop for creative composition (Hyun et al., 2006). It’s also important to consider - perhaps even limit - the number of time-compressed courses a student might opt into for optimal learning. If a student is taking a heavy number of credits as intensive courses, it might lead to cognitive exhaustion rather than enhance their learning. Time management and instructor scaffolding, or strategically ‘chunking’ learning, are essential for student success in learning (Harris et al., 2021).
It’s also important to acknowledge the impact of condensed courses on faculty planning, and thereby student learning. According to Hyun et. al (2006), some professors reported that they spend more time planning to ensure credit hours and contact hours are still met during short-format courses compared to traditional courses. Other professors shared that due to time constraints, for better or for worse, they often end up teaching the exact same curriculum as long-format courses, just in a shorter time frame. At times, they found that extensive, in-depth assignments were difficult for learners to complete (Hyun et al., 2006). So do intensive, accelerated, and condensed courses hinder or help student learning? The answer is that short-format courses can be a productive, fruitful learning opportunity for students with the right mindset and planning. If you choose or are assigned to teach an accelerated course in the Summer, Fall, J-term, or Spring terms at NYU, consider the following to optimize student learning:
Active Learning: Incorporate active learning strategies such as discussion and group projects to keep students engaged and facilitate deeper learning in a shorter period.
Frequent Assessments: Use frequent, smaller formative assessments to keep students on track and provide continuous feedback.
Clear Communication: Set clear expectations and maintain consistent communication to help students manage the pace of the course, such as course site announcements.
Timely Feedback: Provide prompt feedback on assignments and assessments to help students stay on track and improve.
To learn more about adapting a longer course into an accelerated version, check out this guide (NYU NetID login required) or reach out to the Nexus team at nexus@nyu.edu.
References
Harris, A., Buglass, S., & Gous, G. (2021). The impact of lecture chunking format on university
student vigilance: Implications for classroom pedagogy. Journal of Pedagogical
Sociology and Psychology, 3(2), 90-102. https://doi.org/10.33902/JPSP.2021272429
Hyun, E., Kretovics, M., & Crowe, A. (2006). Curriculum characteristics of time-compressed
course in a US higher education institution. Educational Research and Reviews, 1(2),
Johnson, C. (2009). Faculty Speak on the Impact of Time in Accelerated Courses. The
Journal of Continuing Higher Education, 57(3), 149–158.
Walsh, K.P., Sanders, M., & Gadgil, S. (2019). Equivalent but not the Same: Teaching and
Learning in Full Semester and Condensed Summer Courses. College Teaching, 67(2),