Dr. Megan Hanna

Storytelling, Pacing, and Guiding Habits

For as long as I can remember, reading has been one of my favorite activities. When people learn I’m a reader, they often ask what types of books I enjoy. My answer is always the same: “All of them.”

Of course, I naturally lean toward certain genres or authors, but when I notice myself doing that too much, I make it a point to branch out. 

I look at reading lists, book reviews, and the books people in my network are reading. I browse anywhere books can be found—libraries, bookstores, department stores, thrift stores, airports, and the Kindle storefront. Where there are books, you’ll find me.

Another place I look for books is on my own bookshelves (or in the stacks throughout my house). A good to-be-read (TBR) pile is never-ending—if you know, you know.

Problem Solving and the Business Lens

These days, my main gig is teaching college classes. I’m fascinated by business—my specialty—and I’m always looking for books on the subject. Whether the book is new or old doesn’t matter as much to me as what I’ll learn and how I can apply the information.

Though I’m a teacher, I also view the college through a business lens. Good businesspeople identify problems, examine how they’re being solved, evaluate the effectiveness of those solutions, and determine whether there’s a better way. Strong leaders in education do the same. Sometimes they’re solving big, system-wide problems. Other times, they’re helping a single student.

One challenge I’ve recently been working to help address is how to deliver education in a way that allows students to complete each course more quickly and focus on fewer topics at a time.

My college’s solution has been to move some courses from 16-week semesters to 8-week terms. Each semester includes two 8-week sessions. Full-time students can still complete four to five classes per semester (about 12 to 16 credit hours), but they only have to take two to three classes at a time. This approach reflects a growing trend in higher education. 

A recent study found that withdrawal rates were lower and success rates were higher in the sampled 8-week courses compared to their full-term counterparts (Shehadeh, 2025). Another study reported improved success rates in 8-week courses included in the sample relative to a traditional 16-week format (Brenner, 2024). However, both studies emphasize that outcomes can vary depending on a variety of factors (Brenner, 2024; Shehadeh, 2025).

This article isn’t intended to be a comprehensive literature review—that’s a conversation for another time—but it’s clear that many institutions are exploring compressed formats as one way to better support student success. The shift to shorter terms seems to be part of a broader national effort to improve persistence, completion, and engagement.

Why Pacing Matters in Shortened Courses

As a student, I completed half of my bachelor’s degree and all of my MBA and doctoral work in shortened terms. I was working and raising a family, so it helped me to focus on fewer subjects at a time. The weekly workload for each course was heavier, but I experienced less mental fatigue because I wasn’t constantly shifting between different topics.

As a faculty member, I prefer teaching in this format. My first experience was during summer sessions. I thought maybe it was just the student population or the seasonal environment, but after teaching year-round in 8-week blocks, I now see the benefits more clearly. Every class is different, but in my experience, students tend to connect the dots faster in shorter terms—assuming they stay on track and arrive prepared.

As a reader, I started to notice a parallel. If you read a book too slowly or in a distracted way, it becomes harder to follow the storyline. You forget key details, miss foreshadowing, and might even have to re-read earlier sections just to understand what’s happening now. 

We also see this in book series, especially when there’s a long delay between installments. Some authors include recaps or character lists to help readers catch up. Others don’t, leaving you to backtrack or just push forward and hope for the best.

This got me thinking about flipbooks. When I was a kid, we sometimes made flipbooks in school. Each page had a slightly different image. When you flipped the pages quickly, the images came to life, telling a story in motion.

In my view, that’s what well-designed 8-week courses can be. The pacing helps students see the story unfold. It keeps the material connected in their minds. Each week builds on the last, and the narrative stays intact.

It’s our job, then, to design courses—regardless of length—so students don’t have to fight to re-enter the story each week. The shorter the course, the more important that pacing becomes.

A Framework for Intentional Design 

When I considered how to do this well, I looked at my bookshelf again. There it was: my well-worn copy of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey (1989). These habits offer a timeless, practical framework that closely mirrors how I naturally approach course design.

Each habit is a guiding principle that, when applied with intention, has the potential to lead to stronger, clearer, and more effective course design—especially in a compressed format. The habits named below reflect FranklinCovey’s (n.d.) most current published framework, which builds on the original 1989 work by Stephen R. Covey. 

If you’re unfamiliar with the 7 Habits or want to revisit them more deeply, I encourage you to explore FranklinCovey’s resources directly or buy The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People book. It’s worth the read! 

What follows isn’t a comprehensive overview of each habit but summarizes how I see them connecting to course design—especially in shortened terms.

Habit 1: Be Proactive ®

Shortened terms require intentionality. You can’t wait to see how things unfold and then make changes—you have to lead the course from the first page. Proactive course design means asking: What do my students need to succeed in this condensed format? Where might confusion or disengagement occur? Anticipate needs and design accordingly.

Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind ®

This is the cornerstone. I always start with the question: What transformation do I want students to experience by the end? That outcome becomes the story I’m telling. It helps me resist the urge to include content just because it’s interesting. Instead, I prioritize what matters most.

Habit 3: Put First Things First ®

In an 8-week course, Week 1 matters more than ever. If students feel lost early, they may not recover. That’s why I invest significant effort into making the first one or two weeks clear, supportive, and foundational.

Habit 4: Think Win-Win ®

This habit reminds me to balance academic rigor with respect for both student and faculty workload. A win-win 8-week course prioritizes learning and sustainability. That might mean restructuring assignments for clarity or simplifying delivery methods—without lowering expectations.

Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood ®

To design well, I need to understand my students. What does the course feel like from their perspective? Where might they struggle? Empathetic design helps me communicate more clearly and build a better learning experience.

Habit 6: Synergize ®

In great courses, everything connects. The readings inform the discussions. The projects extend the learning. Each week builds naturally into the next. This synergy is what gives a course rhythm—and rhythm is essential in shortened formats.

Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw ®

This habit reminds me to design for sustainability. That might mean building in a reflection week, adding flexibility to deadlines, or creating space for meaningful feedback instead of more busy work. Strong design respects both the learner and the educator.

Designing Courses to Tell a Clearer Story

As educators, we are always telling stories. A course is a story. It’s a journey. And in shorter terms, every “page” of that journey matters. 

When we approach our design with clarity and purpose—when we pace the learning like a flipbook—we help our students see the story unfold. We help them understand, connect, and grow. And isn’t that why we do this? 

If you’re redesigning for a shortened term, try starting with the story. What transformation are you helping students experience? What will make that story flow, not stall? Start there.

To help you put this into action, I created an 8-Week Course Storyboard Planner—a free tool that lets you map your course like a narrative, scene by scene.

I’d love to hear how this looks in your own teaching. And if you try the tool, let me know that too!

Share your thoughts, join the conversation, or connect with me to keep exploring what intentional, story-driven course design can be. Together, we can shape learning experiences that don’t just deliver content—but tell stories students remember.

References

Brenner, V. (2024). Course-Level Evaluation of an 8-Week Calendar Implementation at a Two-Year College. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/10668926.2024.2307055

Covey, S. R. (1989). The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Simon and Schuster.

FranklinCovey. (n.d.). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People®. FranklinCovey. Retrieved May 14, 2025, from https://www.franklincovey.com/courses/the-7-habits/

Shehadeh, H. (2025). Comparative study of success and withdrawal rates in sixteen-week versus eight-week online english courses. Ubiquitous Learning, 19(1), 1-15. doi:https://doi.org/10.18848/1835-9795/CGP/v19i01/1-15