Accelerated Programs in the News

Others are beginning to see that learning formats can be changed and held to the same learning outcomes.   Thank you to Melissa Ezarik for investigating and writing an article about shortened time for a degree!  I recommend reading "Three to Degree" in the September 2010 University Business magazine. More universities are looking at shortened time frames for degrees and less time in the classroom.  The programs highlighted in this article are not necessarily focused on the adult student, but on college students who are focused and don't need that exploratory time to find a degree match. There is more support of innovation in higher education!

Carnegie Unit Once Again

Hopefully, you are following the latest Higher Education News. The government is once again trying to mandate the definition of a credit hour. Inside Higher Education reported on June 16, 2010 that the new proposed definition:

• a credit hour as "one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out of class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester or trimester hour of credit," or equivalent amounts of actual instruction for quarters or other time periods.

Why are we back to the archaic method of measuring learning and education by "butt in seat time"? Numerous reports have proven that different delivery formats are actually better or equivalent to creating the learning necessary.

To their benefit, the also included an alternative definition:

• a credit hour "[i]nstitutionally established reasonable equivalencies for the amount of work required in [the previous definition] for the credit hours awarded, including as represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement."

Why doesn't the committee look at their own Department of Education report: Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies. They reported on page xiv: "Students who took all or part of their class online performed better, on average, than those taking the same course through traditional face-to-face instruction." Face-to-face time with an instructor is not the answer to providing a quality education.

Institutions with online and accelerated programs need to watching carefully this development (that would be practically every higher education institution in the United States). When will we let the professional educators determine learning? Although an alternative definition was given, I am still not convinced the accreditation agencies won't succumb to the pressure and demand that institutions count "butt in seat time" and we will be back to letting the "bean counters" tell professional educators how to really do their jobs.

Highlight a Program

The Commission of Accelerated Programs is a resource for higher education institutions concerning definitions and best practices. When I say "accelerated program," many people look at me in bewilderment. Raymond Wlodkowski (2003) defined accelerated learning programs as a structure for students to take less time than conventional (traditional, sometimes referred to as "Carnegie Hours") programs to attain university credits, certificates, or degrees. However, these programs hold to high standard of learning. They are designed to help the adult population who have fulltime jobs, yet need to further their education in order to obtain higher wage employment or personal fulfillment. These working adults cannot afford to quit their jobs in order to attend a higher education institution during the day, nor can they "afford" to take 10 years to complete a degree. Adult learners must have flexibility, convenience, and a quick way to earn a quality degree. The State of Louisiana recognized that issue and put together "A Center for Adult Learning in Louisiana". I recommend reading their booklet: "CALL: Investing in Louisiana's Adult Learners."
Perhaps, you will be inspired or you might gain an idea you can apply to your institution.

Wlodkowski, R. & Kasworm, C. (Eds.) (2003). Accelerated learning for adults: The promise and practice of intensive educational formats. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 97. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

Accelerated Programs Highlighted by Lumina

Accelerated programs at community colleges and credit for prior learning are both being highlighted by Lumina to help displaced workers in the U.S. We need to be assisting our community college associates who do not have accelerated programs in developing them. We have the expertise to share.

Read more at Fostering Economic Recovery through Postsecondary Education.

Accelerated Programs

Classes are starting at all our institutions in the traditional semester programs. Those of us working with the accelerated programs are also starting programs as well, but we have this phenomenon happen regularly (hopefully). One of the employees of the traditional campus is in my course and the student asked why we were meeting on a university holiday. I explained that in my four years of teaching at this institution and 15 years at another institution I was always teaching on spring and fall breaks. When we work with the adult population who have full time jobs, university semester breaks just do not make much sense to them. I decided that our jobs are just to continually educate our fellow colleagues who do not live in our world of education.

I hope others are looking forward to the CAP Annual Conference, November 16 & 17, 2009 in Chicago. Block out your calendar now.