The first January term (J-term) at UNH was in 2010. More than 440 students signed up to take one of the 27 undergraduate and eight graduate courses that were taught online, through distance-learning, and in classrooms.

Four years later, some 1,000 students were able to select from 91 courses, of which 58 were conducted online or through a blended format (if you’re doing the math, that’s more than all the courses offered the first year). The number of students represents a 10 percent increase from 2012 when 900 students registered for J Term, and 82 classes were offered.  

“Since the first January term in 2010, enrollments in online J Term courses have increased more than 140 percent, and the number of online course sections has increased from 27 to more than 70,” says Terri Winters, director of UNH IT and eUNH. 

Part of the reason for the spike, Winters says, is that UNH IT Academic Technology has refined support for faculty developing and teaching online courses. One of the more significant refinements is the pairing of an instructional designer with each faculty member assigned to teach an online January term course.  

“The instructional designer works with the faculty member through the whole process — from course development through completion of teaching the course. They also act as a single point of contact for faculty, and make referrals depending on the type of technology or issue to be addressed,” Winters says. “UNH IT Academic Technology staff get high marks from both faculty and students for their support during January term.” 

The 3-week semester gave students the chance to earn one to four credits through classes, internships and independent studies. Courses were offered in, among other subjects, anthropology, business, chemistry, civil engineering, economics, education, English, science, health management, history, psychology, statistics, and theater.

An initiative undertaken in 2011 explored the role of e-leaning at UNH, and found students like the flexibility it provides, and that faculty members were interested in teaching online courses. Professor of English Janet Aikins Yount, who this J Term taught a survey of British literature from 1780 to present, is one of those faculty members.

“Despite its time constraints, J-Term does serve an important function. It enabled a student to complete a last requirement in her major, before leaving for a semester-long internship this spring, and it helped another to make up the course, after withdrawing from it for medical reasons last fall,” Yount says. “It was a pleasure to work with these students, and I’d readily teach the course again.”