Time on task is the amount of time that learners spend, with both direct and indirect instruction, engaged with learning materials and/or in real-world practice. Direct instruction is where the instructor is actively engaging with the students via module introductions and summaries, instructor created lectures, interactive tutorials, synchronous sessions, feedback, or discussions moderated by the instructor. Indirect instruction is where the student uses the content they have learned to complete an assignment, paper, or project. This may also include assigned readings, discussions, group projects, papers, etc. Time on task is a significant predictor of learner success and therefore persistence. It is often associated with the types and amounts of cognitive “resources” dedicated to perceiving, interpreting, and responding to the task at hand.
Time on task can vary in function. It can help you see whether a task or activity demands a majority of the student’s time or whether it be done concurrently with other tasks. For example, one assessment takes a large portion of a module to complete. Setting a student’s expectations of the assignment can help them manage their time and perform better.
When determining time on task for your course, there are two key questions.
1. How many hours should students have per week?
This table can help you determine how much time students, in general, should be spending per week:
Carnegie Workload Calculation
| Credit Course Hours | Hours of Direct Faculty Instruction | Out of Class Student Work | Weekly Workload – Direct + Out of Class |
Workload Over 15-Week Semester – Weekly Workload x 15 |
Workload Over 7 Weeks – 15-Week Semester / 7 Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 45 | 6.4 |
| 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 90 | 12.9 |
| 3 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 135 | 19.3 |
| 4 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 180 | 25.7 |
2. How are those hours spent per week?
This graphic provides a visual example of how learning activities may add up to 19 hours for one week in a 3 credit course.
