Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have increasingly moved away from traditional to block or intensive modes of delivery (Buck, Vieira Braga and Ortiz Granero, 2023). Block & intensive modes of delivery have been shown to increase engagement and achievement, particularly in non-traditional students (Austin and Gustafson, 2006; Burton and Nesbit, 2008; Dixon and O’Gorman, 2020; Loton et al., 2022; Samarawickrema and Cleary, 2021). The aims of this study are to evaluate the impact of a 4-block mode of delivery on student outcomes in the School of Sport in a post-1992 university in the UK. Student outcomes from traditional 2-semester delivery (2017/18-2019/20) were compared with those from 4-block delivery (2020/21-2022/23). Shapiro-Wilk tests of normality indicated that the dependent student outcome variables were not normally distributed (p<0.01). Consequently, non-parametric Chi-square test of independence, Kruskal-Wallis H, and Mann-Whitney U tests were conducted to explore student outcomes over the 6-year period. Results indicate that block module pass/fail rates, grades, year 1 progression, and year 1&2 retention were significantly higher with 4-block delivery (p<0.01). While all ethnic groups achieved higher grades in block modules compared to semester modules, black, Asian, male students achieved significantly lower grades (P<0.01), lower progression rates (p<0.01), retention (p<0.001) and awards (p<0.001). It appears that block delivery facilitated an enhancement in multiple student outcomes, although it should be noted that multiple factors other than the block delivery could have contributed to the enhanced student outcomes.

Authors:
Julian Smith, University of Wolverhampton, United Kingdom
Alan Nevill, University of Wolverhampton, United Kingdom
Michael Alger, University of Wolverhampton, United Kingdom

About the Presenter(s)
Mr Julian Smith is a University Professor/Principal Lecturer at University of Wolverhampton in United Kingdom

See this presentation on the full schedule – Thursday Schedule

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