Entry #5 Expanding Educational Choices

          After having read the article in the Arizona Republic concerning ASU adding more 7 1/2 week semesters to their course catalog, I found myself generally in favor of the idea.  I'm always in favor of more options of education at any level. Not everyone learns at the same pace. I would like to see many more options in education beginning as early as elementary school. The opportunity to learn and succeed should not be held back from anyone simply because "That's the way we've always done it!"
           Last summer I had a five week semester in English 101. Although I found it to be a pretty fast pace, I think in some ways it was easier because there really was no break in the action. For me it seemed much easier to stay focused.
           One advantage I could see in the shorter semesters is that students would have the opportunity to study diligently for 7 1/2 weeks, then work more hours, if not full time in between semesters. Some students might find this easier than juggling both work and school at the same time.
           Early on in the article, Anne Ryman comments that the students could end up paying lower tuition fees. I'm not exactly sure how that could be since it was not explained in the article. In any event, lower tuition fees would I'm sure help out the students as well as their families.
          I tried (online) to find out what the average grades were at ASU for 7 1/2 week semester vs the 15 week semester. Unfortunately, I was unable to locate that information. My concern being that perhaps students taking the shorter semesters may not be learning as much as the would have learned in a standard semester. School should be about learning, not winning a race.

           Besides the possibility of the students learning less in condensed semesters, I only have one other concern. That concern revolves around the faculty having little input in this decision. I would hope that none of the faculty would be forced to teach short semesters or loose their job. Selfishly, I really don't want to be educated by anyone that has a bad attitude and doesn't even want to be there.

    On the other hand, as stated in the article, some faculty members fully embrace this idea. I'd like to see  the faculty members have a choice. As long as both the students and the faculty have more options in education, I'm all for it. ......Cane Man.