Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching - National University

esponsibilities). A higher percentage of students in the accelerated program than the traditional
program reported time conflicts as the top reason for leaving.
Student Attitudes and Perceptions
Studies of student attitudes toward accelerated courses consistently show that student like this
format. In a series of articles, Scott (1994, 1995, 1996, 2003) reported that students (and faculty)
found that intensive courses promoted a quality learning experience in which they could connect
and synthesize ideas. Lee (1996) stated that 80 percent of the students surveyed preferred short,
intensive courses. Messina (1996) claimed that the majority of students in the weekend courses
studied stated that they learned more in these intensive classes, and had more student-instructor
interaction, than in the traditional classes. Tatum and Parker (2007) found that the tendency to
recommend the accelerated classes to other students was significantly greater than for the more
extended classes. Shafer (1995) found that “procrastinators” preferred the accelerated format
because they believed that it reduced their tendency to procrastinate and provided needed
structure. Parsons (2005) reported generally favorable attitudes toward the accelerated classes
that were investigated, except that some students expressed concern that the pace was too quick,
especially for math and science classes. When students reveal negative perceptions of
accelerated programs or classes, they generally revolve around lack of time, too much work, and
high levels of stress (Parsons, 2005; Petrowsky, 1996; Sakaly, 1995; Smith, 1988; Tatum &
Parker, 2007).
Summary and Conclusions on Effectiveness
The evidence is quite clear with regard to the effectiveness of accelerated education. When
comparisons are made with more traditional forms of education (e.g., semester and quarter
systems), very few studies report superior outcomes for the traditional method. The most
common finding is that there is no difference between the two approaches to higher educations.
Quite frequently the literature shows that the accelerated format produces better learning and
achievement than the traditional format. Further research is needed on at least two critical issues:
Do shorter formats lead to better outcomes for higher-order cognitive skills (e.g., comprehension,
application, analysis, and synthesis), and what are the long-term effects of accelerated education
There is a growing body of evidence that students like and prefer the accelerated, intense pace
better than the extended schedules, even though it is stressful and highly demanding of students’
time. This high level of student satisfaction is probably due to the kinds of students who selfselect
these programs (adults who are highly motivated and want to achieve their educational
goals quickly). The evidence strongly suggests that students can finish classes and programs
more quickly than is typically the case without major sacrifices to academic rigor and
educational quality.
Methodological Issues
Much of what we know about accelerated education is based on studies that are relatively weak
methodologically speaking. This is understandable given that the studies are usually conducted
in real-word environments that do not afford the controls and precision found in laboratory
studies. This section discusses some of the major methodological issues with the research on
accelerated education and reviews the evidence for and against compressed, rapid-paced classes
43