Less Students and Less Credit Hours; New Data Suggests Success May Lie in the Academic Schedule

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Oct 18, 2022, 05:00 ET

New Ad Astra survey compiles more than 650 responses from institutional leader to better understand role of course scheduling in student success and institutional planning

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Oct. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As students return to colleges and universities post-pandemic, they are demanding higher numbers of online, hybrid, and hyflex courses, yet the data shows students fail to consistently find success in these new modalities, according to a new data released today from Ad Astra. The report, Complicated Lives, Competing Priorities: Reimagining the Course Schedule for Today's Student, shows students took 14.6% fewer credits in fall 2021 than they did in fall 2019 and institutions grappled with how best to meet the needs of learners in a quickly evolving learning environment.

The report is based on a survey of more than 650 institutional leaders, and was analyzed along with data from more than 150 colleges and universities around course schedules, enrollments, and grades. Survey respondents were asked for feedback on a wide range of questions, including enrollment, student and faculty preferences in learning modalities, and metrics used to measure course scheduling success.

"While there is no concrete definition of what the 'new normal' will look like, institutions are recognizing that it has never been as important to design accessible and intentional pathways through higher ed for students," said Tom Shaver, founder and CEO, Ad Astra. "Intentional course scheduling puts the student and the student's needs back at the center of the success conversation, while also helping institutions create sustainable models to deliver education."

The data shows the share of full-time students dropped at public four-year universities – enrollment dropped to 64% in fall 2021 from 66.8% in 2019 – the number of course credits taken simultaneously dropped from 2019 to 2021, with full-time students at four-year public universities averaging just 14.75 credit hours.

"Completion is absolutely essential to ongoing discussions around student success, and economic and social mobility," said Dr. Yolanda Watson Spiva, president of Complete College America. "Yet, we often fail to break down how we put students on intentional and structured paths to completing that credential or degree. By more intentionally engaging institutions in thoughtful discussions around the role of scheduling, we recognize the many challenges today's students face, and help ensure that each student's academic journey is one that accounts for the other barriers to success they otherwise face."

Other findings from the Ad Astra survey include:

Students are struggling online. DFW rates in online courses are consistently higher than for classes that meet in person. The percentage of students earning Ds or Fs or withdrawing from in-person courses (DFW) in online courses rose by almost 2 percentage points to 17.2%. At the same time, the DFW rate for students overall, fell by 1 percentage point by 2021.
Interest in the schedule as a tool for student success, but work remains to make the schedule student centric. Nearly two-thirds (65%) of respondents said they consider retention and enrollment rates to gauge course scheduling effectiveness. However, 51% of institutions said it's important to consider the times when courses are offered so students can build a class schedule free of conflicts.
Institutions are not broadly using centralized approaches to course scheduling. Only 55% of institutions use a centralized approach to scheduling, which can help students better understand processes, structures, and pathways to a degree.

Conducted in Summer 2022, the Ad Astra survey received 687 responses from institutional leaders across four-year and two-year institutions. Results were normalized to reflect the answers given. The self-reported survey data included qualitative analysis. The key findings of the survey were compared and contrasted with an analysis of Ad Astra client data and other well-known higher education data sources referenced throughout the report.

About Ad Astra

Ad Astra, the industry leader in higher education scheduling software solutions, partners with more than 500 colleges, universities, and systems worldwide. Based in Overland Park, Kansas, Ad Astra offers data-informed software and professional services that help institutions effectively allocate space and faculty resources, forecast student demand, and accelerate student completions. The Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) company currently holds a United States patent for its innovative method of determining student demand for academic courses. Academic institutions that partner with Ad Astra experience improved stewardship of instructional resources, streamlined student access to courses, and accelerated student completions. Ad Astra was the 2018 recipient of the Complete College of America Seal of Approval for Structure. Learn more at aais.com and follow us @AdAstraIS or on LinkedIn.

SOURCE Ad Astra