Curricular Overload and Bloat: Challenges and Solutions
When students are burdened with an excessive amount of content to learn, academic performance and motivation suffers.
by Mallory Greer, PharmD, PGY-1 Pharmacy Practice Resident, Mississippi State Department of Health
Today, curricular overload and curricular bloat have become significant issues that affect students, educators, and school administrators. The increasing demands on teaching and learning have created an environment where the sheer amount of content in curricula often overwhelms students, resulting in burnout, stress, and diminished academic performance. Addressing this problem requires a deep understanding of what curricular overload and bloat are, their impact on student's motivation and performance, and the strategies that can alleviate these challenges.
Understanding Curricular Overload and Bloat
Curricular overload refers to a situation where students are burdened with an excessive amount of content to be learned across multiple subjects. This overload makes it difficult for students to process, retain, and apply what they learn.1 This problem is further exacerbated by curricular bloat, which refers to the inclusion of unnecessary or redundant material in the curriculum that lacks clear instructional value. These additions often arise from pressures to meet specific standards or incorporate the latest trends in education without considering whether these elements truly benefit students.2 Together, curricular overload and bloat create a learning environment where students are more likely to feel overwhelmed and disengaged. The pressure of managing this content-heavy approach can negatively affect students in multiple ways. They are forced to juggle many subjects and assignments, often with little time to explore topics in-depth or fully comprehend key concepts. Rather than fostering a passion for learning, they breed frustration and stress, diminishing the quality of education.
The Psychological Impact of Curricular Overload on Students
One of the most immediate effects of curricular overload is the way it undermines student motivation. Taking a disciplined approach to learning is often a challenge for students, and becoming overwhelmed only amplifies this problem by:
Increased Stress Levels: The fear of falling behind or failing to meet expectations creates anxiety, which in turn leads to disengagement. Anxious students are more likely to lose focus, making it harder for them to follow through on assignments or prepare for exams effectively.1
Reduced Motivation: A bloated curriculum often feels like a mountain of information, which can cause students to lose their intrinsic motivation to learn. When school becomes a task of ticking off boxes rather than understanding the material in a meaningful way, students may stop caring about the material. This decline in motivation often manifests as a lack of active engagement in classroom discussions.1
Time Management Challenges: With more work than they can reasonably handle, students may resort to procrastination or rushing through tasks, resulting in poor-quality work. They may also struggle to prioritize, leading to missed deadlines and incomplete assignments.1
The Consequences of Curricular Overload for Academic Performance
Beyond adversely impacting motivation, curricular overload negatively affects academic performance. Their ability to perform at their best academically diminishes.
Shallow Learning: One of the most concerning consequences of curricular overload is the shift toward shallow learning. With too much content to cover in a limited time, students often resort to rote memorization rather than developing a deep understanding of the material. This surface-level engagement with the subject matter limits their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. As a result, students may pass tests based on memorized facts but cannot apply that knowledge in subsequent coursework or in real-world situations.3
Declining Academic Performance: The combination of stress, disengagement, and shallow learning inevitably leads to a drop in academic performance. Grades and test scores can decline, and students may find themselves in a downward spiral where poor performance further decreases their motivation and interest in school.3
Loss of Passion for Learning: Perhaps one of the most unfortunate consequences of curricular overload is the way it stifles students' natural curiosity and passion for learning. Education, which should be a dynamic and engaging process, becomes a chore. When students are constantly pressured to meet deadlines and memorize facts, they lose the opportunity to explore topics that genuinely interest them.3
Strategies for Reducing Curricular Overload
Educators and administrators can work together to create more balanced curricula by taking a “less is more” approach. Here are several strategies that can help reduce curricular overload:
Curriculum Review and Refinement: By carefully assessing the curricular content, educators can identify redundant or non-essential material that can be eliminated. The focus should be depth, allowing students to engage more deeply with fewer topics. This approach ensures that students are not overwhelmed with information and can spend time mastering the core concepts.2 Instructors may find it helpful to reach out to former students about the information/strategies they found valuable in the long haul, whether that is in practice or prepping for standardized exams.
Seeking Student Feedback: Students can be helpful by identifying overloaded or bloated course content. Individual instructors can request feedback (week-to-week) from students about their perceptions of the volume of the content and the number of assignments. The instructor can then use this information to modify their instruction in a way that makes it more manageable and engaging for students.2
Fostering a Supportive Learning Environment: A supportive environment is essential for helping students navigate the challenges of curricular overload. Teachers, students, and administrators should work together to create open lines of communication. Encouraging students to voice their concerns, providing academic support, and promoting their well-being are all crucial steps toward ensuring that students can manage their workloads effectively without sacrificing the essential knowledge or skills to be learned or academic performance.2
Curricular overload and bloat are challenges to effective learning, student motivation, and academic performance. However, by acknowledging the problem and implementing thoughtful, student-centered strategies, educators and administrators can create more balanced and enriching learning experiences. Prioritizing depth over breadth, fostering flexible learning environments, and actively seeking student input can all contribute to reducing the burden of an overloaded curriculum. Ultimately, this will not only improve academic performance but also rekindle students' passion for learning, setting them on a path toward lifelong educational success.
Bibliography
1. Sobieraj DM, Chen AMH, Luciano JL, Bechtol RA, Kelsch MP. Exploring tools to manage curricular content and overload within the professional PharmD program. Am J Pharm Educ 2024; 88(10):101276.
2.Chen AMH, Brown S, Mark K, McBane S. An overview of instructional approaches and decision-making strategies to curtail curricular overload. Am J Pharm Educ 2023; 87(8): 100013
3. Kelley KA, Williams VL, Chen AMH. The challenge of curricular overload in the Pharmacy Academy. Am J Pharm Educ 2023; 87(9): 100079.