A Comparative Study of Students' Learning Experiences in Intensive and Semester-Length Courses and of the Attributes of High-Quality Intensive and Semester Course Learning Experiences.

Abstract

This study compared students' learning experiences in a set of courses in British literature and a set of courses in marketing, in which each set included a course taught in an intensive format and a semester-long format with the same instructor and content. Data collection included participant observation, videotaped class sessions, questionnaires completed by students, document analysis, and interviews with students and instructors. Students and faculty felt that intensive classes engendered a continuous learning experience which allowed students to connect and synthesize ideas better. Students reported they were able to concentrate exclusively on a small number of classes and could plan their schedules better. Other findings suggested that longer class sessions fostered more in-depth discuss 's, that intensive classes required more mental investment and c ..mitment, that students' academic performance improved, that instructors' expectations were relaxed, and that classroom relationships were closer. Results suggest that if students perceive that most or all of the high-quality attributes are present, intensive courses are more powerful learning experiences. Factors that may alter the relationship between high-quality attributes and powerful intensive courses include teaching skill, degree of intensiveness, students' other responsibilities, students' age and intellectual development, time of year, subject matter, and relative classroom experience. (.TDD) A Comparative Study of §tudents' Learning Experiences In Intensive and Semester-Length Courses and of the Attributes of 'Ugh-Quality Intensive and Semester Course Learning Experiences by Patricia A. Scott, Ph.D. U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Edurdieona. Resea,:o ano improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERICI wfhis document has been reproduced as received from the person or organi/atron originating it 0 Minor changes have been made to niipmve rept oduchoi, quality PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS ATERIAL HAS .BEEN GRANTED BY Michael U. Nelson North American Assoc. of Summer Sessions C) Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OEHI position or policy 1'0 THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES NFORMATION CENTER (ERIC).North American Association of SummGASessions Research Committee March, 1994 2 BEST COPY AVAILABLE Ii Patricia A. Scott NAASS PRESENTATION A Comparative Study of Students' Learning Experiences in Intensive and Semester-Length Courses and of the Attributes of High-Quality Intensive and Semester Course Learning Experiences November 16, 1993 Portland, Oregon