Can Shorter Classes Mean More Learning?

At last, a scientific rationale for shortening classes.

A recent study by researchers at the University of Texas at Austin found that students rate shorter, intensive courses — in which a semester’s worth of material is taught at an accelerated rate — as more effective than traditional 15-week courses.

The students’ perceptions, gleaned from end-of-term evaluations of 130 conventional- and intensive-length courses on the Austin campus, support the findings of previous research, which showed that students learn as much in accelerated courses as in the full-length versions — and sometimes more.

According to a news release issued by the university, the study’s authors speculate that students who meet in daily class sessions may have better rapport with their professors and therefore may be more engaged with the subject matter.

“In any event, these preliminary findings regarding student satisfaction and intensive courses would suggest that universities may want to look at offering a greater number of summer courses,” said John V. Kucsera, a doctoral candidate in educational psychology and one of the authors of the study, which is not yet posted online. “It might also be beneficial to encourage students to take summer courses — right now, only a small percentage of students elect to do so.” —Paula Wasley