Online in Half the Time: Strategies for Designing an Accelerated Course

Accelerated online courses (8-week courses, for example) are being offered at an increasing rate due to non-traditional students’ desire to complete courses more quickly and utilize the flexibility and convenience that online learning affords. With this condensed format, it is natural to worry about how to get the same content across in a limited amount of time. Rather than focus on the limitations of this structure, we’ll consider the strategies necessary for student success and satisfaction in this ever-growing format.

Alexis Stoddard is an instructional designer with the Office of Digital Education at the University of Colorado. She is completing her doctorate in education from CU Denver. Her dissertation research focuses on designing and delivering accelerated online courses in higher education.

Sarah North is the Assistant Director of Instructional Design for the Office of Digital Education at the University of Colorado. Her interests center around creating motivating and engaging online learning environments, effective virtual group work, and designing learning experiences which foster student self-regulation and success. Sarah earned her PhD from the University of Minnesota in Curriculum and Instruction, with a focus on learning technologies.