UNIVERSITIES IN KENYA AT CROSSROADS WITH ACADEMIC CALENDAR: AN EVALUATION OF THE CHANGE FROM QUARTER TO SEMESTER AT A PRIVATE UNIVERSITY WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR COLLABORATION

Abstract

The issue of academic calendar is a topic of current debate and controversies in the universities in Kenya.

While the quarter, semester and trimester calendars are used, there is evidence of sporadic migrations from the

quarter to the semester and trimester calendars. This descriptive- comparative case study that built on Complex

ity Theory and Theory of Planned Change investigated change from quarter to semester calendar at a private

university in Kenya. The objectives of the study were to establish factors driving the change, lecturers and

students’ involvement; concerns, challenges improvements realized from the change and implications on col

laboration. Purposive and convenient sampling techniques were used to select forty lecturers and fifty students.

The findings revealed that the change was externally driven by directive from the Inter-Universities Council

for East Africa which had a collaborative agenda. Both lecturers and students were minimally involved in the

change; t-Test indicated that there was no significant difference in the involvement of the two groups (p value of

.226 > .05 alpha). A correlation coefficient of 0.444 (for lecturers) and 0.476 (for students) which are significant

at 0.01 level revealed that the more the lecturers were involved in the change process the more they become

comfortable with the semester sequence. Great concerns were on abrupt notice of change and lack of consulta

tive meetings. Challenges included; lack of understanding of the implications of change in terms of credit hour

equivalence, course requirements and tuition payment. The change brought improvements in the area of ex

amination, assignments, preparation time, field work and labs, delivery of lectures and consultations. Interview

reports indicated that the semester change did not interfere with the university collaborative activities, except a

little interruption for industrial attachments and teaching practice. The study concludes that while considering

change in academic calendar it is important to involve the stakeholders in deliberations on the factors driving

the change and implications of the change. Once change is agreed upon, the implementation process has to be

monitored and continuously evaluated with a focus on soliciting support, addressing concerns, and challenges;

while taking note of emerging improvements.