AE #3- ASU adds more short courses

       


             

          For the Spring 2013 semester that began this past January, Arizona State University began offering more choices in the way of 7 1/2 week courses. These courses are condensed from the more traditional 15 week semester. The same number of hours in class is required but it is squeezed into half the time. Just below I pasted a link to The Arizona Republic reporting the story. For this blog we will focus on our reaction to the article as well as others comments on the article.   
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2011/02/22/20110222arizona-state-university-shorter-classes.html

         Since I haven't taken any of these classes myself, I will rely on my experience as a student taking the 15 week courses, as well as life experience to help me form an opinion. I had a wide range of thoughts about these condensed classes and I was happy to see people expressing similar thoughts.

                   According to the story by the Arizona Republic, reaction in the form of hundreds of emails to one ASU official was split into about one-third in support, one-third against, and one-third had additional questions. It's not surprising that there would be such varied responses. These classes represent choices, and since one size doesn't fit all, there will be people who don't agree.

 Some people commented that they felt these short classes are simply too much crammed into too little time. And therefore the question becomes: Are the students really learning the material well enough? This may cause some to view an ASU degree as less legitimate. Even supporters of the condensed classes cautioned that this format might not work well for certain subjects. I myself have serious concerns about the quality of these courses. Even though I may never be enrolled at ASU, as a taxpayer I have a right to be concerned. Some students will be able to handle these courses, but others might not.
         One person commenting on the story brought up the point that these classes are the same format that is already being offered at summer semester. They are correct about that, and they also mentioned the problem of cramming so much into a shorter time period. The reason that the time schedule is so difficult is, as one reader commented, in addition to the hours required in class, there is a certain amount of study time outside of class needed to properly cover the material in a course. There may simply not be enough hours in a day. In my opinion, this is the biggest reason to approach these classes with great caution.
       

 ASU says they're offering more of the 7 1/2 week courses to provide more choices for students. I agree, and that is why they should offer them, but only with stipulations. ASU should be required to create a template for what the daily schedule would look like while taking these classes. The prospective student should be required to fill out the template with their potential class time and study time. Then they would have a clearer understanding of what they are signing up for. It might seem like a hassle to do this, but since the schedule might simply not fit in a day, it is a necessary step. The university exists to provide an education and it should be their absolute responsibility to give the student the proper information. Once the student is properly informed, they have the best chance for success.  What do you think of my suggestion for the template? Leave your comments below.