The participants of this phenomenological study were employed at a school that previously was not performing on assessments at a level equal to schools in the state comparison group. Due to low student achievement, school leaders explored pathways to improve instruction and changed the school schedule from a semester schedule to a trimester…

This paper presents a qualitative study of 12 computer science lecturers' experiences of curriculum design of several degree programmes during a time of transition from year-long to semesterised courses, due to institutional policy change. The background to the study is outlined, as are the reasons for choosing the research methodology. The main…

This report is a response to what is perceived as the need for a systematic collection of information on the effects of semestering a secondary school, particularly as those effects are felt in teaching and learning. Chapters deal with monitoring the present school organization in the areas of student course selection and credit accumulation; the…

The question of which calendar is best for Barstow College (BC) is addressed in terms of general considerations connected with academic calendars, the intended effects of the quarter system, the issue of cost effectiveness, and the advantages and disadvantages of both calendars. First, introductory material discusses BC's conversion to a quarter…

This report describes a study that investigated the effects of "full-credit semestering" in Ontario secondary schools. In full-credit semestering, the school year is divided in half, and students receive full credit for each course completed each semester. The study also explored the effects of trimestering, half-credit semestering, and…

In 1991, California's San Diego Community College District (SDCCD) formed a task force to investigate the effects of adopting academic calendars that end either before or after the winter holidays. To gather information, the task force performed a grade distribution analysis among district college students to determine the impact of fall semester…

The Flexible Calendar Pilot Project at Evergreen Valley College focused on staff and instructional development, and assessing the needs and characteristics of the student population. The new academic calendar, based on faculty preference, called for a fall semester beginning in late August and ending in mid-December, an 18-day intersession during…

In 1976, a study determined that student retention had increased markedly following Barstow College's transition from a semester to a quarter system. In 1979, another study was conducted to determine: (1) the accuracy of the 1976 figures; (2) the effect of the shortness of the time period considered in the 1976 study on its reliability; (3) the…

In an effort to determine the most effective school calendar system, a task force was formed at Pennsylvania's Reading Area Community College to examine the advantages and disadvantages of converting from the college's current term calendar to a semester system. The task force examined the experiences of 11 other institutions that had undergone…

A study was conducted at San Joaquin Delta College (SJDC) to determine whether its present calendar, based on the traditional semester system, should be abandoned in favor of either the quarter or the early semester calendars. The study involved: (1) contacting employers to determine the effect of a calendar change on student employment, (2)…

In order to determine whether there were compelling reasons for Schenectady County Community College (SCCC) to change its quarter calendar, and which calendar would be most appropriate to the college and most responsive to the problems that made the change seem desirable, previous calendar change studies were reviewed and administrators of…

As part of the Flexible Calendar Project, Cosumnes River College adopted a school calendar that provided for two 16-week semesters (the fall semester ending prior to Christmas recess) separated by a three-week intersession that was devoted to educational experimentation and professional staff development activities. After the second year…

Looks at the trend toward the early-start semester calendar in American colleges and universities, and examines administrative, pedagogical, and fiscal considerations in making the change from a quarter system. Topics discussed include the impact on the curriculum and instruction, summer session, access, enrollment management, and institutional…