"Credit hour" is an official term and is based on the Carnegie Unit semester credit hour - a higher education credit hour standard.  This standard is based on an assumption that a student participated in 15 hours of "contact time", and completed additional outside work/assignments to earn each credit hour.

 

The institutions providing credit hours for ASPD program assume these standards will be met through the schedule and assignments, in all course types (on-site, online, individualized/independent, and blended).

A contact hour of work is equivalent to fifty (50) minutes of class time.  Class time typically includes lectures, group work, presentations, seminars, colloquia, attendance at conference sessions, and other similar activities.

 

When programs are fully online or include an online component, contact time may be accomplished through the use of live webinars, viewing webinars or videos, listening to audio files/podcasts, participating in online chat room sessions or discussion board threads, or other activities designed to engage learners with content.

Outside work is defined as additional work designed to extend, apply, or reflect upon current learning, or to prepare for new learning.

 

Activities include additional reading, research/action research, writing assignments, reflection, journaling/blogging, participating in independent discussion, contributing to online discussion forums, other assignments, etc. - all completed outside of scheduled class (face-to-face) time.

1 graduate credit:   15 contact hours + outside work = 15-30 hours on task

2 graduate credits: 30 contact hours + outside work = 30-45 hours on task

3 graduate credits: 45 contact hours + outside work = 45-60 hours on task

First, we have a responsibility to our credit granting partners to assure academic integreity,  Additionally, we have a responsibility to assure to departments of education, school districts, superintendents, human resource directors, and teachers that the individual earning the graduate course credit demonstrated appropriate time, work and learning to earn that credit.  Finally, we have a responsibility to assure that participants who attend our programs will be able to provide high quality service to the students and clients with whom they will ultimately work.

Intensive programs are programs delivered in a compressed period of time. 

 

In traditional programs with three (3) graduate credit hours available, class sessions are typically scheduled once a week for 15 weeks with class sessions lasting 3 hours.  Between class sessions, additional assignments are completed (homework, reading, etc.).  This provides 45 contact hours plus outside assignments to meet the 45+ instructional hour standard.

 

In an intensive program, the time requirement (e.g., 45 contact hours plus outside work) is compressed into a shorter period (examples:  twice a week for 6-7 weeks, 2-3 weekends, 1 full week of 8-9 hour days, etc.).  While the time period is compressed, the requirements remain the same. 

 

ASPD presumes that participants participating in "intensive" programs have the time and capacity to successfully complete all program requirements in the specified period.

While ASPD is committed to helping educators and others who participate in our programs fulfill their professional development needs rapidly, as a company, we are fully committed to assuring academic integrity.  When graduate credits are available for ASPD courses, courses reflect graduate level work, depth, and rigor regardless of the manner in which they are scheduled or delivery format.