Document Type

Article

Date of Original Version

2022

Abstract

Distance education has been a common program modality in Library and Information Studies for well over two decades. Multiple universities have offered fully online or hybrid Master’s of Library and Information Studies degrees in the traditional academic calendar (e.g., semester or quarter). In Fall 2021, the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Library and Information Studies launched the first accelerated online Master’s of Library and Information Studies degree in the United States. All courses are offered in seven-week sessions, with a total of six of these sessions offered each academic year.

This paper will detail one faculty member’s process of converting semester-long (14-week) courses to the accelerated calendar. Three models were employed: (1) using half-weeks so that a course could retain 14 topics with multi-week projects, (2) collapsing topics to focus on key content areas in a weekly format with weekly activities, and (3) using project-based modules where students engage with learning materials for 1-2 weeks then have a dedicated week to complete a project. Each model is discussed in detail, including what the model entails, how the model was implemented in the course(s), and the pros and cons of the model for instructors and students.

This paper is of interest to anyone working in distance learning modalities, especially in higher education. The three pedagogical models employed in converting courses from 14-week semesters to 7-week sessions can be applied in a variety of disciplines, and in different semester lengths.

Publication Title, e.g., Journal

ICERI 2022 Proceedings

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