Innovation:
Accelerated Learning Programs
Many adults want to be engaged in learning activities, particularly those that can help them in their careers. However, the time commitment of traditional degree programs can be a considerable barrier for people who work full time. “Accelerated programs” are designed to take less time than conventional or traditional courses. As of 2003, The Center for the Study of Accelerated Learning had identified 250 colleges and universities with programs specifically identified as accelerated (Wlodkowski, 2003).
In accelerated learning programs – which can include programs for certificates and degrees – course material is presented in less time than in conventional courses. For example, the course may have only twenty hours of class time as opposed to forty-five hours. A course may also be presented in a condensed period of time, such as a sixteen week course presented in a five week period. While critics have expressed concern about the quality of the learning experience and the ability of an accelerated course to cover the material with sufficient rigor, there is evidence that adults in accelerated programs learn “satisfactorily” and on par with the results from conventional course work (Wlodkowski, 2003).
At this time, undergraduate business management programs have attracted the most enrollees compared with other accelerated program offerings, primarily because there is a large adult market for such programs and because the business curriculum is relatively easy to break down into standardized modules (Wlodkowski, 2003). Other types of accelerated offerings include MBA programs. For instance, Regis University offers an “MBA Fast Track program” in which adults can earn an MBA in only 16 months, online (see www.mbaregis.com). Nursing programs are also offered in an accelerated format, most commonly for students who already have undergraduate degrees in other areas. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (2005), 168 accelerated BSN programs are currently offered, with many more in the planning stages.
Next: Online programs innovation>
Related Organizational Example
Readers should be aware that the term “accelerated learning” is not only used for courses that are compressed or shortened. The term is also used for a specific learning methodology that is multidimensional in nature and that places the learner at the center of the experience. This learning methodology has been influenced by movement such as natural learning, the theory of multiple intelligences, learning style research, and collaborative learning (Imel, 2002a). While there can be overlap in the uses of the term, the term can have distinctly different meanings. For the goals and purposes of this report, we are applying the term “accelerated learning” to programs that differ from conventional courses in duration and/or intensity.