Concentrated Study Time and Improved Learning Efficiency: An Experiment Using Economics US̷A

Grimes, Paul W.; Niss, James F.

doi:10.2307/1182729

Cited by 7 publications

(9 citation statements)

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“…This may in part explain why regardless of major students in this study believe the more intense class format will result in lower levels of learning than the other two formats. The theory that there may be diminishing returns between classroom time and learning (Fredrick & Walberg, 1980) or an optimal efficient class length (Grimes & Niss, 1989) may be in effect.…”

Section: Students' Perceptions Of Class Formatmentioning

confidence: 99%

Optimal Class Length in Marketing Undergraduate Classes: An Examination of Preference, Instructor Evaluations, and Student Performance

Reardon

Payan

Miller

et al. 2008

Journal of Marketing Education

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Some believe that the longer the face to face classroom meeting time, the more effective the learning experience. Others point out disadvantages of lengthier classes (e.g., student attention problems). The authors assess which of three class formats (i.e., 1 hour/three times a week, 1½ hours/twice a week, or 3 hours/one time a week) is optimal in terms of student (a) perspectives, (b) grades, and (c) evaluations of instructor performance. The authors observed that regardless of major, students prefer the twice a week class format, and marketing majors had the strongest preference for that format. All students believed the once a week format would result in lower levels of learning. Instructors teaching in the twice a week format received higher evaluations from students. And finally, there appears to be slightly better student grade performance in shorter classes, especially evident with marketing majors attending the twice a week format. C lassroom educators seek to provide students with the most effective learning experience. One aspect of this challenge revolves around how long students and their instructors meet face to face in the classroom for a given learning session. According to Brookfield (2003), conventional educational wisdom is that increased face-to-face time is necessary for learners to develop intellectual rigor and analytical depth. Teachers are said to need sufficient time to model the analytical behaviors they wish to encourage in learners. Extended contact time and a teacher's skilled help are also believed to be necessary so that learners are able to uncover dimensions and applications of ideas that would remain hidden in online or independent study environments. (p. 73) Despite this view, students do not have an unlimited attention span or an unlimited ability to process information. Therefore, as continuous face-to-face classroom time increases, a point of diminishing returns to learning is reached. Furthermore, almost all universities must treat total classroom time for a given course as a fixed and limited resource. Traditionally, a three-credit, semester-based course includes approximately 3 hours of classroom instruction per week. Given this constraint, how should these 3 hours be distributed weekly to optimize learning and meet the scheduling preferences of students?The purpose of this article is to assess which class length meeting is optimal in terms of the outcomes of student (a) perspectives, (b) grades, and (c) evaluations of instructor performance. Class formats of interest are (a) 1 hour/three times a week (hereafter labeled short format), (b) 1½ hours/two times a week (hereafter labeled moderate format), and (c) 3 hours/once a week (hereafter labeled intensive format). This article also examines whether there are differences in the learning outcomes between marketing majors and other business majors.

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Section: Students' Perceptions Of Class Formatmentioning

confidence: 99%

Optimal Class Length in Marketing Undergraduate Classes: An Examination of Preference, Instructor Evaluations, and Student Performance

Reardon

Payan

Miller

et al. 2008

Journal of Marketing Education

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Many academics seem likely to remain sceptical about the claims that students on accelerated courses can learn as well as students on the traditional versions of the same courses, despite the fact that there is a growing body of research data that seems to indicate that accelerated courses are effective in meeting students' expressed goals and facilitating content mastery (Grimes and Niss 1989;Scott and Conrad 1992). Wlodkowski and Westover (1999) claim, however, that these studies present only indirect and modest evidence that learners on accelerated courses can achieve equivalent learning outcomes in comparison with students on traditional courses.…”

Section: Accelerated Programmes In the Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the impacts of accelerated delivery on student learning, achievement and satisfaction

Wilkins

Martin

Walker

2010

Research in Post-Compulsory Education

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This case study examines the impacts on student learning, achievement and satisfaction when year 13 (final year) students at a large UK sixth-form college take a GCE A level in one year instead of the usual two years. Data relating to the entry qualifications and final A level grades achieved by 879 students on both accelerated and non-accelerated programmes were obtained over a fouryear period. Inferential analysis was carried out using pairwise Z-tests to compare the proportion of students achieving grade C or better on each course. A sample of 89 students completed a written questionnaire, which was used to examine their attitudes and opinions of accelerated and non-accelerated teaching and learning. It was found that students on accelerated programmes who had taken Business Studies at GCSE or who achieved an A* or A grade in English or Maths at GCSE were more likely to get a grade of C or above at A level compared to students on the standard two-year programme. The results of this study suggest that further research is needed to assess whether more students could be successful on accelerated A level courses, or similar post-compulsory courses internationally. IntroductionThe General Certificate of Education Advanced Level, commonly referred to as an A level, is the main qualification taken by 18-year-olds at the end of their school education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In year 11, when students are aged 16, they take the General Certificate in Secondary Education (GCSE) examinations, which is the end of their compulsory education. A levels can then be taken in years 12 and 13 as the first stage of post-compulsory education. British universities allocate the vast majority of places for undergraduate degrees on the basis of A level grades achieved. A levels are typically taken at a secondary school that has a sixth form or at a sixth-form college that specialises in education for 16-19 year-olds. A much smaller number of students also take A levels at further education colleges, some of which have also established sixth forms.

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“…None of the studies specifically involved college algebra courses. Grimes and Niss (1989) conducted a study that compared whether students enrolled in a 15-week economics course learn at the same level and achieve the same results as students enrolled in a modified mastery class of 8 weeks or 10 weeks. Student performance in the two course lengths was measured using standardized techniques such as the revised Test of Understanding College Economics (TUCE) (Grimes & Niss, 1989).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Grimes and Niss (1989) conducted a study that compared whether students enrolled in a 15-week economics course learn at the same level and achieve the same results as students enrolled in a modified mastery class of 8 weeks or 10 weeks. Student performance in the two course lengths was measured using standardized techniques such as the revised Test of Understanding College Economics (TUCE) (Grimes & Niss, 1989). Grimes and Niss (1989) used t test for independent group means to test for statistical differences between the performance scores of the control group, which was 15-weeks, and the modified mastery group (p. 135).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Student performance in the two course lengths was measured using standardized techniques such as the revised Test of Understanding College Economics (TUCE) (Grimes & Niss, 1989). Grimes and Niss (1989) used t test for independent group means to test for statistical differences between the performance scores of the control group, which was 15-weeks, and the modified mastery group (p. 135). Grimes and Niss (1989, p. 136) found no significant differences between the control group and either of the modified mastery groups (8-week and 10-week courses).…”

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confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Success in Algebra Among Community College Students

Reyes

2010

Community College Journal of Research and Practice

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College algebra is a required course for most majors, but is viewed by many as a gatekeeper course for degree completion by students. With almost half a million students taking college algebra each year, faculty are experimenting with new course lengths of time that might result in higher success, completion, and retention rates for college algebra students. This article reports on a study of the traditional 16-week versus an 8-week course length in college algebra at a two-year Metropolitan Community College (MCC) in the United States. The study was to determine which course length of time, 8 weeks or 16 weeks, results in a higher proportion of students successfully completing the college algebra course. Also investigated were success rates among ethnicities, genders, and age groups. The study included 231 students in college algebra. Data were analyzed on four sections of the traditional 16-week courses and four sections of 8-week courses. In this study, success was measured as earning a grade of A, B, or C in the course. Understanding more about course lengths of time for college algebra can aid in increased understanding of time as a factor and, ultimately, may determine if students are more successful in 8-week or 16-week courses of instruction.

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Concentrated Study Time and Improved Learning Efficiency: An Experiment Using Economics US̷A

Cited by 7 publications

References 0 publications

Optimal Class Length in Marketing Undergraduate Classes: An Examination of Preference, Instructor Evaluations, and Student Performance

Optimal Class Length in Marketing Undergraduate Classes: An Examination of Preference, Instructor Evaluations, and Student Performance

Exploring the impacts of accelerated delivery on student learning, achievement and satisfaction

Success in Algebra Among Community College Students

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