I wanted to know whether implementing a weekly check-in and a standardized due date structure would help ACE students manage their time in an accelerated 5-week course.
An accelerated 5-week course presents a challenge for high school students taking their first college course to stay on track.
I had previously taught the course in 16 and 8 week online formats with college students, using three check-ins and spreading assignments farther apart. For this 5-week accelerated course with high school students, I implemented a standardized, weekly structure. The structure included a Monday check-in, chapter assignments due Tuesday and Wednesday, a work day on Thursday, and projects due on Friday. The Monday check-in included three parts: 1) project preparation, 2) grade check, and 3) questions. The project preparation involved reading the project instructions, acknowledging policies (e.g., drafts, AI use), and submitting their topic (or other choice they needed to make about the direction of their project).
Methods
All students were required to participate in a survey (Google Form) about their experience. No names or other personally identifying information were recorded. In Canvas, all students (N = 103) self-reported that they completed the form. The survey included both closed- and open-ended questions. The two closed-ended questions asked, “To what degree were the Weekly Check-ins helpful for your success?” and “To what degree was having a consistent due-date structure helpful for your success? (e.g., check-ins due on Monday, projects due on Friday)?” The answer choices included: 1 = Very unhelpful, 2 = Unhelpful, 3 = Neutral, 4 = Helpful, and 5 = Very helpful. For both questions, students also provided an open-ended response that explained their answer choice.
Results: Weekly Check-in
Most students (85%) considered the Weekly Check-in intervention very helpful (41%) or helpful (44%) for their success. A minority of students (14%) were neutral regarding its helpfulness, while 2% considered it unhelpful or very unhelpful. The average response was 4.22 (N = 103).
Students who found the Weekly Check-in helpful explained that they:
- Provided awareness and clarity of expectations and due dates
- Helped improve their time management by staying organized and on track
- Resulted in them beginning projects earlier than they otherwise would
- Made them feel supported by the instructor
- Increased awareness of grades and their progress in the course
Those who didn’t consider the check-ins helpful explained that they were unnecessary or repetitive.
Results: Standardized due-date structure
Most students (89%) considered the Consistent Due Date intervention very helpful (52%) or helpful (36%) for their success. A minority of students (10%) were neutral regarding its helpfulness, while 2% considered it very unhelpful. The average response was 4.37 (N = 103).
Students who found the Consistent Due-Date Structure helpful explained that having predictable deadlines spread across the week:
- Helped them plan their week in advance
- Helped them balance work, personal, and school responsibilities.
- Reduced stress by making the work seem more manageable
- Prevented procrastination
Those who didn’t consider the intervention helpful explained that the structure didn’t personally impact them.
I assessed two interventions for a 5-week summer 2025 Introduction to Communication (COM 100) course for ACE students: 1) weekly check-ins and 2) standardized due-date structure. The vast majority of students found these interventions helpful for their success. The weekly check-in was scheduled on Monday and included preparation for the project due on Friday, a grade check, and questions. Students reported that the intervention helped them stay on track, clarified expectations, encouraged early planning for their project, and increased awareness of grades and progress in the course. The standardized due-date structure included the Monday check-in, assignments due on Tuesday and Wednesday, and a project due on Friday. Students reported that the predictable routine helped them stay organized, manage their time, and avoid procrastination.