Abstract
Purpose. The first purpose of this research was to determine if there was a significant difference in learning acquisition between the compressed, six-week semester, and the traditional, sixteen-week semester. The second purpose was to describe students' perceptions of the advantages and disadvantages of traditional and compressed semester formats. Methodology. The study combined quasi-experimental and descriptive designs utilizing a nonrandom sample group. The sample consisted of 387 students attending a community college located in Southern California. Each student was registered in either a six-week or sixteen-week course in one of the following five subjects: geometry, sociology, criminology, biology, or geology. The courses were matched, in that the same instructor, using the same textbook, lecture material, and pre- and posttest instruments, taught both the six-week and sixteen-week course. The pretest served as a diagnostic instrument to determine if there was a significant difference in the groups initially. The posttest consisted of the course cumulative final exam. The descriptive portion of the study employed a survey questionnaire. Findings. There was no significant difference in student learning acquisition between the sixteen-week semester versus the six-week semester. These results were constant across gender, ethnicity, and age. Students perceived the compressed schedule as advantageous because the semester would be over faster and they would graduate or complete their program of study faster. Students liked the option of enrolling in more classes during an academic year and agreed that there is more motivation to complete a class that meets for fewer weeks. Students felt the compressed schedule was disadvantageous because they would be more stressed out, they would miss more material if they were sick, it would be easy to fall behind, and it would require learning a large amount of material in a short time. Conclusions and recommendations. The length of the semester has no significant effect on student achievement. Institutions offering or planning to offer accelerated formats must increase or realign support services such as libraries, tutoring, learning centers, counseling, and registration to accommodate intersessions and to address increased student stress levels associated with alternative calendars. Enhanced marketing to adults may significantly increase enrollment and serve to meet the needs of a growing segment of the higher education population.