Do Students Learn in Summer School College Majors Classes? Grade Comparison and Student Self-Assessment Indicate in the Affirmative

Abstract

We were interested in student learning and perceptions of their summer school experience in life sciences majors courses in a five-week format taught at a four-year institution in the United States. Students were given the opportunity to complete a post-course survey about their summer school experiences. We report that these students like summer school courses and feel they are an effective way to learn. Indeed, several students indicated that they prefer summer school learning, as then they just focus intensely on one topic at a time. Grade comparisons between students who took summer school and those who took classes in the spring semester indicate that students who take summer school classes do as well in their subsequent biology class as those who took the classes in the regular semester. This article indicates that, for many students, summer school is an effective learning environment and should be considered by faculty as a legitimate method of instruction to enhance flexibility for undergraduate students.