The SPOT Advantage: Reimagining Academic Terms

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The SPOT Advantage Reimagining Academic Terms

Authored by Dr. Wendy Kilgore, this paper examines the adoption and outcomes of shortened parts of term—referred to as SPOT—across nine diverse higher education institutions.

Authored by Dr. Wendy Kilgore, Senior Director of Research at AACRAO. This paper examines the adoption and outcomes of shortened parts of term—referred to as SPOT—across nine diverse higher education institutions, drawing on insights from a roundtable discussion with key stakeholders involved in SPOT implementation.

The white paper explores the motivations behind the adoption of SPOTs, along with the strategies institutions use to manage enrollment, class scheduling, and resource allocation within these compressed terms. Additionally, it examines the potential impacts of SPOTs on learner success and highlights the importance of data-driven approaches to optimizing these academic models.

The paper reveals that institutions are at varying stages of SPOT adoption, with some institutions fully integrating shortened terms across multiple programs, while others apply them more selectively to specific learner groups or areas of study. The effectiveness of SPOTs is shown to depend on several factors, including learner demographics, course content, and institutional resources. Some recommendations include:

Developing comprehensive faculty-training programs
Implementing clear communication strategies for learners
Investing in advanced scheduling and analytics software
Establishing targeted support services for learners in SPOT programs or classes

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Unless otherwise noted in a specific report, the AACRAO member institution size, type and control categories are based on the following definitions and sources:

The enrollment value used to delineate the institution's size category is defined as full-time enrollment plus 1/3 of part-time enrollment and is based on the enrollment reported by the institution to the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).