When Intensity Meets Modality: The Effects of Condensed Course Formats in Online and In-Person Instruction

Condensed courses, which deliver the same instructional content over a shorter time frame, have been increasingly used by colleges to expand scheduling flexibility. Emerging evidence suggests that these formats often improve course performance, but little is known about whether their effects differ across instructional modalities. Using administrative data from a statewide community college system, we compare outcomes across condensed and traditional-length sections within modality. We find that condensed formats improve current and subsequent outcomes when delivered in person, while online condensed courses show no comparable benefits and negative effects on performance in subsequent coursework.