Evaluation of Weekend and Early Morning Classes. Research Report Series, Vol. 7, No. 7.

In order to measure the effect of early morning and weekend scheduling at William Rainey Harper College, six different survey forms were developed and sent to the following groups of students: students taking six selected courses at 7 a.m., students taking the courses during regular times of the week, and students taking the courses on the weekend. Students finishing the courses were sent different forms than students withdrawing. In all, 797 students were polled, and 626 responded, a 78.5 percent response rate. Weekend students tended to have higher withdrawal rates than weekday or night students. However, they rated the courses as more beneficial than the weekday or night students, and they earned higher grades. Many would have preferred taking the courses at other times, and most felt that additional campus services should be provided on the weekend. Students taking 7 a.m. classes were more apt to withdraw than students in any other group. However, they withdrew because of personal problems, not because of the inconvenience of the time. Early morning students rated their ability to concentrate, the quality of other students, and the level of instructional support lower than the students in other groups, and tended to earn lower grades. The detailed results are shown in tables, and the survey instruments are appended. (NHM)