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Do GPAs Differ Between Longer Classes and More Frequent Classes at Liberal Arts Colleges?

Author

Listed:
  • Timothy M. Diette

    (Washington and Lee University)

  • Manu Raghav

    (DePauw University)

Abstract

Colleges and universities offer classes that meet for different lengths of time and different numbers of days per week, such as classes that meet 2 days and those that meet 3 days. Traditionally triweekly classes that met for a shorter duration were more common than classes that met biweekly for a longer duration. Biweekly classes are becoming more popular with time. However, there is some concern that classes that meet more often are better suited for student learning than others. This paper, using data from a small liberal arts college, finds that after controlling for the starting time of the class meeting and course fixed effects as well as faculty and student fixed effects, student learning across 2 and 3 days classes is essentially the same.

Suggested Citation

  • Timothy M. Diette & Manu Raghav, 2018. "Do GPAs Differ Between Longer Classes and More Frequent Classes at Liberal Arts Colleges?," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 59(4), pages 519-527, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:reihed:v:59:y:2018:i:4:d:10.1007_s11162-017-9478-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s11162-017-9478-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hughes, Woodrow Jr, 2004. "Blocking student performance in high school?," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(6), pages 663-667, December.
    2. Timothy M. Diette & Manu Raghav, 2017. "Does early bird catch the worm or a lower GPA? Evidence from a liberal arts college," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(33), pages 3341-3350, July.
    3. D. Mark Anderson & Mary Beth Walker, 2015. "Does Shortening the School Week Impact Student Performance? Evidence from the Four-Day School Week," Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press, vol. 10(3), pages 314-349, July.
    4. Timothy M Diette & Manu Raghav, 2015. "Class Size Matters: Heterogeneous Effects of Larger Classes on College Student Learning," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 41(2), pages 273-283, March.
    5. Timothy M. Diette & Manu Raghav, 2016. "A student's dilemma: is there a trade-off between a higher salary or higher GPA," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(6), pages 612-621, November.
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    1. Glaser, Darrell J. & Insler, Michael A., 2022. "The deleterious effects of fatigue on final exam performance," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Class meeting frequency; Grades; GPA; Student learning;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • A22 - General Economics and Teaching - - Economic Education and Teaching of Economics - - - Undergraduate
    • Z18 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Public Policy

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