Student’s satisfaction, performance and perceived learning in BAB

With new degree programs offered by colleges in Canada , the colleges are under more pressure to offer their degree students alternative options to the traditional full-semester course. In our degree program to offer a more continuous flow, Mathematics II, Accounting II, Personal Financial Planning Principles, Canadian Financial Systems, Microeconomics and Organizational Behaviour are designed to be delivered in two formats: full-semester, 14-week course( winter) and intensive 7 -week course (summer).

There are relatively few studies done on student satisfaction and performance for this two formats with the same number of contact hours per course. Most studies that assessed the differences in students’ satisfaction by comparing intensive and traditional teaching formats were made in programs that are usually self-selected by students. In this case the students completing the intensive format courses chose this format to fit with demands at work or home and they tend to be older , more motivated and more likely to succeed regardless the format. In our program,the winter intake students take the intensive 7-week courses over the summer so that they can join the fall intake students for the third semester.

This research is a two-part study that will examine whether there are differences in student satisfaction and performance for traditional length courses ( 14 weeks) vs. intensive 7- week courses. Our study will examine BAB student performance and course evaluations for identical courses taught in these two different formats. The students’ performance for intensive versus regular delivered courses will be based on grades on exams, tests, in-class and homework assignments.

Some of the studies consider that in intensive courses there is more “bonding” between professor and students than in a full-semester courses. So in addition to course performance there will be an analysis of the data from teaching evaluation to determine if there are differences in students perceptions of intensive and regular semester courses . To control for any differences that can occur in this two-part study, these courses will have the same professor for both the intensive and full-semester course and both will be delivered with identical requirements in terms of assignments,tests and exams. Because the assignments in the 7-week format tend to be more time intensive as the semester progress and we expect increased pressure on both students and professor the independent variable will be the length of time taken to complete the requirements, with the dependent variables being satisfaction with the course, perceived learning, and academic performance.

This study is intended to generate discussion and informally identify pedagogical issues associated with a shortened course format versus a full-length course format and to inform professors who are teaching the intensive summer session courses if their pedagogical approach should be different than the approach they use for a full-semester course.