Perspective on the Impact of A Four-Day Class Schedule: A Retrospective Case Study of Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65339/ijsair.V2.I2.682Keywords:
Acceptability, Educational Innovation, Four-Day Class Schedule, Higher Education, Stakeholder Perceptions, SustainabilityAbstract
This study retrospectively examined the implementation of the four-day class schedule at the College of Business Management and Entrepreneurship of Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College (ISPSC), Santa Maria Campus. Anchored on Educational Innovation Theory and Stakeholder Theory, the study aimed to evaluate stakeholder perceptions, instructional implications, acceptability, implementation challenges, and the overall viability of the compressed academic schedule. A descriptive-survey research design using a retrospective case study approach was employed. Data were collected through an adapted survey questionnaire administered to 217 respondents, comprising 127 students, 84 parents, and 6 faculty members. Descriptive statistics and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used to analyze the data. The findings revealed that students, parents, and faculty members generally viewed the four-day class schedule positively. Respondents reported benefits such as increased academic flexibility, reduced educational expenses, greater family engagement, improved instructional delivery, and enhanced institutional efficiency. Faculty members indicated improved classroom instruction and the ability to cover more instructional materials, while students and parents preferred the compressed schedule because it provided additional time for academic, family, and personal responsibilities. The level of acceptability was high across all stakeholder groups, and the ANOVA results indicated no significant differences in their perceptions, demonstrating broad stakeholder consensus. Despite these favorable outcomes, respondents identified challenges related to communication, scheduling conflicts, student participation in institutional activities, and instructional preparation, emphasizing the need for clear institutional policies and effective implementation strategies. The study concludes that the four-day class schedule is a viable educational innovation that can enhance instructional effectiveness, stakeholder satisfaction, and institutional efficiency when supported by appropriate planning, communication, and stakeholder involvement. It recommends conducting feasibility studies, strengthening institutional policies and orientation programs, aligning instructional practices with compressed schedules, continuously monitoring implementation outcomes, and undertaking further studies on the long-term educational, economic, and student well-being effects of compressed academic schedules. This study supports Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4: Quality Education, SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, and SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production by promoting flexible, efficient, and learner-centered educational practices. Its findings contribute to educational, institutional, socio-economic, and policy sustainability by providing localized evidence that can guide higher education institutions in implementing innovative and sustainable academic scheduling strategies.
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