Turning a 16-Week Course into a Summer Course

In this episode of the Prof Talk Pod, Becky Achen and Katie Metz discuss how to compress a 14–16 week course into shorter summer, J-term, or mini-mester formats (as short as six weeks) without sacrificing rigor. They compare different institutional summer structures, note challenges like overlapping spring wrap-up and summer prep, and emphasize the faster pace of grading, communication, and content coverage. They share strategies such as streamlining assignments, making some activities optional, setting clear expectations for time commitment and success, planning modules further in advance, and introducing major projects in week one. They also address limits on teamwork and attendance due to scheduling, time zones, and socioeconomic factors, urging instructors to be flexible and “let it go” where needed while still meeting learning outcomes.00:00 Show Welcome00:30 Why Summer Courses01:49 Summer Schedules06:03 Rigor And Format Shifts08:52 Streamlining Workload11:55 Synchronous Routine Tips16:30 Grading And Response Pace19:03 Flexibility And Attendance29:05 Teamwork And Projects Fast32:30 Let It Go