Accelerated learning adoption model in higher education: A stimulus-organism-response (SOR) model approach

The purpose of this study was to investigate factors affecting students' motivation and the effectiveness of accelerated learning in higher education. An introductory programming class and a marketing research class at a university in Hong Kong were selected to examine the factors influencing the effectiveness of accelerated learning and students' motivation to enroll in accelerated courses. A qualitative approach was adopted. Purposive sampling was employed to select accelerated courses at a university in Hong Kong. In-depth interviews were conducted with lecturers and students, respectively. This research utilized the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) model, which consists of three key components: stimulus, organism, and response. The stimulus is an external variable that affects the organism, which represents the intermediary state between the stimulus and the response. The interplay between positive and negative motivations towards accelerated learning was examined. A novel Accelerated Learning Adoption Model was proposed to address Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 – Quality Education. Positive motivation for accelerated learning was associated with teachers' readiness, pedagogical readiness, technological fitness, and institutional support. Negative motivation towards accelerated learning was linked to student unreadiness, institutional unreadiness, technological unreadiness, and pedagogical unfitness. No differences in student performance or satisfaction were observed between accelerated-learning classes and classes delivered at a conventional pace. Accelerated learning may be more suitable for foundation courses, whereas conventional-paced learning may be more suitable for advanced courses. Additionally, integrating technology into blended-learning approaches may enhance the effectiveness of accelerated learning. These findings may help university administrators develop more flexible course-delivery arrangements.