One Course at a Time Makes Study Easier

In "Sequential single-unit blocks pave the pathway to academic success", Peter Dawkins and Ian Solomonides describe an approach being used for Victoria University first-year students (The Australian, 10 May 2017). With this students undertake four week modules, one at a time. This is an approach common in the vocational education and training sector, but contrasts with the usual university format of four 12 week courses simultaneously.

This so-called sequential approach is useful not just for beginning undergraduates, but also more experienced part-time students. The Australian Computer Society used this approach with its on-line Computer Professional Education Program, which I helped teach. These were full 12 week courses, with four required to complete the program. Students could take several at once, but were encouraged not to.

I used this sequential approach for my own postgraduate studies. In undertaking a graduate certificate and then masters I found it difficult to cope with more than one course at a time. The exception being the Masters capstone project undertaken simultaneously with my last course.

Unfortunately some Australian universities still have only two "semesters" a year making this approach unmanageable, while many have three terms. Ideally universities would have four terms per year. Students (and staff) would have the option not to studying (or teaching) every term, but those in a hurry could. I found it manageable to be a student doing three or four courses a year for five years.