Rethinking Class Lengths: Enhancing Learning at St. Francis College

By: Feeby Ebied

As the Spring semester comes to an end at St. Francis College, one issue that both students and faculty are still concerned about is class lengths.  

This has been a topic of discussion for years now. Numerous courses at St. Francis are two to four hours long and many find it frustrating and question if it’s even ideal for an engaging, effective learning experiment. The general consensus is a staggering no; classes are too long and tend to drag mid-way through.

According to sophomore Mariam, her science course is three hours of absolute chaos and little benefit, especially the labs. She states that the lessons quickly become repetitive and that because classes are three to four hours long, students tend to be meander as there is no pressure to stay focused on any given task.

“Why rush? We got four hours,” she says.

Her experience is one that many others have described. Some report that they need to give themselves a break and so they leave their lecture for an x amount of time. Others “mentally check out” and must be on their electronics to stay awake.

“I hate it. I have a hard time concentrating. An hour in and I’ve completely zoned out,” says Lexi, a junior.

While this could be chalked up to laziness, a lack of motivation, or academic endurance on the student's end, according to science, that isn’t the case. Studies have shown that students' attention wanes quickly after fifteen to twenty-five minutes of straight lecture. Shorter lectures, on the other hand, have been found to improve student learning because they lower cognitive load, improve both short- and long-term memory retention, and boost motivation and engagement.

Longer classes become highly unorganized and because there is so much time to fill, they become redundant. They meander and it becomes fatiguing for most students. That is why students and professors alike are pushing for shorter lectures, stating that an hour to an hour and a half is a perfect compromise. Some students also state that they would not mind meeting twice a week for a shorter lecture instead of once for twice as long.

“I wouldn’t mind it because at least then I would be able to stay focused and know what I’m doing. It will give me more attendance dates, a healthier routine, and more one-to-one face time with my professor,” Lexi states. 

This change would be beneficial for, not only student morale, but also academic performance. It will give classes structure and place just enough pressure on students and professors to get through the material. An hour and a half class time is what this community wants, and more importantly, needs: will St. Francis deliver?