Poster #45 - Who Benefits Most? Heterogeneous Effects of Condensed Course Formats at Tennessee Community Colleges

• In Event: Saturday Poster Luncheon

Abstract

Community colleges face increasing pressure to improve student outcomes. One approach that’s increasing in popularity is condensed courses (i.e., courses offered in a shortened academic term). Existing research suggests that condensed courses have an overall positive impact on students’ academic outcomes; however, little is known about whether these benefits differ across student subgroups. Using enrollment-level (student x course) data from all 13 public community colleges in Tennessee, this study examines the following research question: How do the effects of condensed coursetaking on academic outcomes vary across student subgroups? To address this question, I estimate an interacted OLS model with fixed effects to examine heterogeneity across student subgroups (i.e., race, gender, age, SES status, and academic preparation). Results indicate that condensed courses are associated with higher pass rates, improved grades, and reduced failure and withdrawal rates for all student subgroups. While estimates vary slightly by student subgroup, the differences are modest and not substantive. These findings suggest condensed courses may represent an effective strategy for improving student success across diverse student populations who attend a community college.

Author

• Louis August Gluek, University of Pennsylvania
  Presenting Author