Scheduling in Semesters

1. Scheduling in Semesters

2. BainbridgeClaytonDalton • 1998 – These colleges (along with Coastal) went from quarters to semesters and began scheduling technical courses in semester format

3. What Was Consistent Among These Three Colleges • Each used a schedule matrix that was used by entire college (including general education courses) • Each thought of how the scheduling of classes would impact the student’s schedule and student’s life (verses focusing on just faculty) • Each worked to make technical courses fit within matrix as best a possible • Each worked to meet the needs of the community and service area

4. What The Challenges Were • Fitting classes with labs and live work into a matrix developed with lecture courses in mind • Trying to maximize student opportunity to take as many classes as the student needed in order to graduate in a timely manner or to stay in the cohort group • Making the classes long enough to cover the material and allow for the labs but not too long to lose interest or interfere with student work schedules

5. What The Solutions Were • No magic wand • Advising students to take general education courses prior to technical courses or after major courses (not with technical courses); this allowed for the student to focus on technical courses and schedule conflicts were minimized • Scheduling technical courses for half day or full day freeing up other days for general education courses

6. What The Solutions Were (cont.) • “Stacking” courses and offering several technical courses required back to back or in one block of time (ex. 3 “like” courses from 8 – Noon or from 1-5 or from 8 – 4 one day a week) • Scheduling technical courses within the blocks and minimizing the number of blocks the technical courses crossed over • (ex. If blocks were from 8 – 9:30, 9:45 – 11:15, and 11:30 – 1:00, a 3 hour lab would be scheduled from 8 – 11 instead of 9 – Noon, crossing over just 2 blocks verses 3 blocks)

7. What The Solutions Were (cont.) • Offering half semester courses • Having two sequence courses back to back in two half semesters (ex. If XXXX 1234 and XXXX 1235 are sequence courses, offer 1234 the first half of the semester and 1235 the second half; this format allows students to have fewer “balls in the air” at any one time • For evening students,the half semester format worked well; students would take 3 classes (two were half semester courses and one was full semester (student was taking only 2 courses at any time during the semester—just 2 balls in the air—at one time)

8. What The Solutions Were (cont.) • Offering online classes • Hybrid or Partial Online - Meeting every other week or several times a semester allowed more flexibility for students and made getting to class easier for students because fewer trips to campus were made • 100% online classes – Students liked this format but needed to understand that the focus of learning shifted heavily to the student (and the student needed to allow time for “class,” time for homework, time for studying, and time for testing.

9. What The Solutions Were (cont.) • Summer Semester presented a different matrix since it was 10 weeks instead of 15 weeks • Courses that had more lecture and less lab (if any lab) were offered when possible because the class meets the same time in 10 weeks that is normally spread over 15 weeks (and students need to be told this)

10. Scheduling Summary • Think of students first • Think creatively and “out of the box” when developing a schedule • Think of what courses work well together or back to back • Think how you would like the class scheduled if you were the student • Try it once and make changes in future schedules

11. The following example can be used for 3 semester credit hour courses and during a 15 week semester. • One day per week • 8:00-10:30 • 12:30-3:00 • Two days per week • 8:00-9:15 • 9:30-10:45 • 11:00-12:15 • 12:30-1:45 • 2:00-3:15

12. The following example can be used for 3 semester credit hour courses and during a 15 week semester. • Night Classes-15 Week Semester • One day per weekTwo days per week • 6:00-8:30 6:00-7:15 • 6:30-9:00 7:30-8:45 • 7:00-9:30 9:00-10:15

13. The following example can be used for 3 semester credit hour courses and during a 10 week semester. • One day per weekTwo days per week • 8:00-11:45 8:00-9:55 • 1:00-4:45 10:10-12:05 • ………………………..12:35-2:30

14. The following example can be used for 3 semester credit hour courses and during a 10 week semester. • Three days per week • 8:00-9:15 • 9:30-10:45 • 11:00-12:45 • 12:45-2:00 • 2:15-3:30

15. The following example can be used for 3 semester credit hour courses and during a 10 week semester. • Night Classes-10 Week Minimester • One day per weekTwo days per week • 6:00-9:45 6:00-7:55 • 8:15-10:10

16. Automotive FundamentalsStudent Schedule • Fall Semester – Day • AUTT 1010 8:00 – 12:30 M-F 3 weeks • AUTT 1020 8:00 – 12:30 M-F 12 weeks • MATH 1011 Afternoon or Eve 15 weeks • Fall Semester – Afternoon/Night • AUTT 1010 2:00 – 5:30; 6:00 – 9:30 M 15 weeks • AUTT 1020 2:00 – 6:30; 6:00 – 10:30 T-F15 weeks • MATH 1011 Afternoon or Eve 15 weeks

17. Automotive FundamentalsStudent Schedule • Spring Semester – Day • AUTT 1030 8:00 – 12:30 M-F 5 weeks • AUTT 1050 8:00 – 12:30 M-F 6 weeks • AUTT 2100 8:00 – 12:30 M-F 4 weeks • ENGL 1010 Afternoon or Eve 15 weeks • Spring Semester – Afternoon/Night • AUTT 1030 2:00 – 6:00; 6:00 – 10:00 M-T 15 weeks • AUTT 1050 2:00 – 6:00; 6:00 – 10:00 W-R 15 weeks • AUTT 2100 2:00 – 7:00; 5:30 – 10:30 F 15 weeks • ENGL 1010 Afternoon or Eve 15 weeks

18. Automotive FundamentalsStudent Schedule • Summer Semester – Day • AUTT 1040 8:00 – 12:45 M-F 10 weeks • COMP 1000 Afternoon or Eve 10 weeks • Summer Semester – Afternoon/Night • AUTT 10402:00 – 6:45; 5:30 – 10:15 M-F • 10 weeks • COMP 1000 Afternoon or Eve 10 weeks

19. Program Schedules • General Scheduling • Dental Hygiene • Cosmetology • Marketing • Automotive Technology