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T.G.I.F.C.? Thank God Its Friday Class!

By Lucy Hughes
IV Leader Staff

    This fall, a new option has become available for all IVCC students who have access to a computer with an internet connection. Students are now able to obtain an associate’s degree by attending classes which meet on Fridays only.
    Friday only classes meet for the same amount of time as traditional classes, but lectures are condensed and students are expected to do more on their own..
    In order to cover all material in one day instead of two or three, math instructor Wes Black covers two sections in one class session as opposed to one section a day which he covers with his traditional classes.
    These new classes are considered blended courses, meaning traditional, face-to-face learning is combined with online learning.
In blended courses, instructors make use of additional resources such as online Power Point presentations, online class notes, and blackboard.
    In addition, most instructors direct students to the IVCC assessment center to take tests on their own time.
The same syllabi as traditional classes are used on Friday only classes and the content is also the same, but the way of delivering information is not restricted to face-to-face interaction only; much of the interaction is performed online.
    The level of difficulty in class content is also the same as traditional classes. However, some students struggle with Friday only as well as other blended classes because completing work is completely up to the student since much of the work is done on his or her own.
    In addition, Black stated that “some students may struggle in my class if they are a weaker math student since we move at a faster pace.”
    Regardless, many students may believe that the benefits greatly outweigh the downfalls of taking a Friday only course.
    One strong benefit is that students spend half the time on campus.
    Therefore, only one trip a week to IVCC is necessary, which cuts down on gas and car care costs.
    Another benefit is that students are given more time for work and to spend with family.
    Friday only classes are beneficial to any student who wants more flexibility in their life. Students are able to work Monday through Thursday as well as attend college.
    Although this program was expected to attract mainly continuing education students, Black noticed that those in his class are mostly traditional students who are also taking classes which meet two to three times weekly.
    Black believes that all classes will never eventually meet once weekly, nor does he hope they do, but Director of Learning Technologies Emily Vescogni believes it is a possibility.
    “I think eventually that could very well happen several years down the line,” says Vescogni.
    Both Black and Vescogni agree that Friday only classes have not caught on yet.
    “I don’t think it’s caught on; people have not thought about the benefits,” says Vescogni.
    More participants are expected in the future as more people are informed about Friday only classes.
    For more information on Friday only and other blended courses, visit www.ivcc.edu/DL.

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