Assessing Undergraduate Learning Outcomes Between Accelerated Degree and Traditional Student Populations

Abstract

This study investigated learning outcomes in both traditional and accelerated degree populations. Using the National Survey of Student Engagement, outcomes were examined relating to critical thinking, oral and written communication, and cultural and global understanding. Literature from life stage development and degree delivery mode areas were used to craft directions for the research. Degree delivery mode literature suggested that accelerated degree students would engage in behaviors designed to achieve the learning outcomes with the same frequency as students in the traditional undergraduate program. The life stage development literature suggested that accelerated degree undergraduate students would be more likely than traditional undergraduate students to engage in behaviors designed to achieve the learning outcomes. The data suggested that, for all of the significant differences found in the study, accelerated degree program students were more likely to report engaging in the particular behaviors than were the traditional undergraduate program students. Due to the variance in the age of the students in each program, however, it was difficult to disentangle the effect of degree delivery mode versus life stage issues for the current sample.

Keywords:

• assessment
• traditional students
• accelerated degree program
• adult population
• nontraditional students
• learning outcomes