Subject: Re: one day per week classes
From: Paula Castagna (castagna_p@hotmail.com)
Date: Thu Sep 07 2000 - 10:27:48 EDT
Bruce:
In my district, we have been investigating the 16-week semester. I had our
researcher run a brief study on student grades and retention in short-term
classes vs our normal 18-week classes. About 20% of our classes are
short-term (4-14 weeks) during the regular semester, so we did not include
summer classes in the study. I don't have the numbers here at home, but
there was a significant increase in both retention rate and number of grades
of C or better with the short term classes. I am convinced that we are not
talking about reduced standards here.
As a result of the study, our math dept is going to increase the number of
classes we offer during the regular semester on a 9-week basis (put classes
back-to-back in the 18-week schedule). We will then see how that effects
student success as measured by grades, retention rate and performance in
further math classes on our campus. Since our schedule is done well in
advance, we are looking at this revised schedule for next fall.
Paula
Paula
>From: "Bruce Yoshiwara" <byoshiwara@hotmail.com>
>To: mathedcc@archives.math.utk.edu
>Subject: Re: one day per week classes
>Date: Thu, 07 Sep 2000 02:39:40 GMT
>
>A related issue:
>
>My school just switched from a 17 week semester + 1.5 weeks of final exams
>to 15 week semester + 1 week of finals. (The total number of contact hours
>remains constant because we lengthen each meeting time.) The main reason
>was to attract more students, but a justification was that Santa Monica
>College evidently has some numbers showing that students do better in
>shorter term classes.
>
>I believe the numbers indicate that students receive higher grades in short
>term courses, in particular in the 5-6 week courses given in summer and
>inter-sessions. I have suspicions about whether the populations being
>compared are genuinely equivalent, but mostly I can't help but suspect that
>the instructors have lowered their expectations. (Do literature classes
>assign the same quantity of reading in shorter semesters?)
>
>Bruce Yoshiwara
>Los Angeles Pierce College
>
>>From: "Martha Haehl" <haehl@kcmetro.cc.mo.us>
>>To: "Todd Timmons" <ttimmons@systema.westark.edu>,
>><mathedcc@archives.math.utk.edu>
>>Subject: Re: one day per week classes
>>Date: Wed, 6 Sep 2000 17:32:39 -0500
>>
>>Todd,
>>
>>Let me know what you find out. It seems like a few years ago our district
>>stats office said there was no difference in the success rate (defined by
>>grades) in the 1 night a week format vs. 2. In general our math faculty
>>did
>>not think the 1 night a week format was as good--however, in general our
>>math faculty lectured for 2.5 hours those nights.
>>
>>I've taught classes that were scheduled for 2 - 3 hours a night that met
>>twice a week. With the interactive strategies I use, I like the longer
>>class. My most recent experience was tech math and I only had one drop
>>and
>>no F's or D's--however, my students were a cohort of students in
>>apprenticeship programs--very hard-working and motivated--there all of the
>>time, did homework, etc.
>>
>>Martha
>>
>>
>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: Todd Timmons <ttimmons@systema.westark.edu>
>>To: <mathedcc@archives.math.utk.edu>
>>Sent: Tuesday, September 05, 2000 5:29 PM
>>Subject: one day per week classes
>>
>>
>> > Does anyone know of any research on mathematics courses that
>> > meet one day per week instead of the traditional 2 or 3? In
>> > particular, I am talking about a three hour college algebra course
>> > that meets for 3 hours one time per week for a semester. I am
>> > interested if anyone had experience with this format, and especially
>> > if any studies have been made.
>> >
>> > Thanks
>> > ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>> >
>> > Todd Timmons
>> > Westark College
>> > 5210 Grand Ave.
>> > Box 3649
>> > Fort Smith, AR 72913-3649
>> > 501-788-7630
>> > ttimmons@systema.westark.edu
>> >
>> > ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>> >
>> >
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