Download - Community College Week

More documents

Recommendations

Info

4 March 22, 2010 www.ccweek.com point of view Community colleges well know that when it comes to student retention, they face a demographic with challenges. As I wrote in my recent white paper, “Student Retention at Community Colleges: Engaging a New Generation with Technology is Key to America’s Future,” a high percentage of students enter community college with inadequate preparation, limited support systems, financial disadvantages, hectic work schedules and/or learning disabilities. As a result, reports show that only 30 percent of students entering community college graduate in six years, compared with 58 percent of students at four-year colleges and universities. Yet there are ways that community colleges can address falling retention rates here and now, starting with student engagement. Engaging students with their professors and their school in a dynamic way is key to their persistence in completing a degree, according to the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE). According to Vincent Tinto, professor at Syracuse University and advisory board member of CCSSE, “engaging students is the most effective way to make them feel more emotionally connected to their professors and school. And this type of emotional connection is key to their persistence in completing a degree.” One powerful way to improve upon student engagement in a knowledge economy is to weave teaching and learning best practices with course management system (CMS) technology. When you think of how integral technology is to our lives, it makes sense that students are lining up for online courses. And, some experts say that “blended learning”— which combines the benefits of instructor-led training with the advantages brought by technologies — will shift student engagement in a powerful way. But the right CMS is a crucial part of SPECIAL REPORT: TECHNOLOGY IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES The Right CMS Can Engage Students, Promote Retention the equation. To be truly effective, your CMS must be designed with pedagogy in mind. Then it can meet your needs with features and functionality based on a solid understanding of how your students, faculty and administrators operate. GISELE LAROSE PRESIDENT WEBSTUDY, INC. Consider these questions: Is your CMS technology welcoming and intuitive, such that campus-wide blended learning will become the norm Does it go beyond information storage to enrich the educational experience for students of all levels Are you receiving the kind of CMS service and support that you need Does the pricing work within your budget realities Does your blended learning program give students the access, service, individualized direction and personalization they deserve Today, your CMS technology will need to go further than earlier versions to offer more than just access — it must become part of the fabric of learning. With intelligent tutoring, if one student needs additional support in a certain subject, the educator should be able to provide a customized learning track via online course material that is invisible to the student’s peers. By personalizing learning in this way, educators can focus class time on clearing up misconceptions, applying the materials to real life, and working in small groups, rather than reviewing textbook material. Beyond technology’s ability to maximize learning — giving students the ability to multitask, access support services online and chat in real time with professors — what else do you need from a CMS One of the most common complaints I’ve heard with CMS technology is the lack of prompt service and support when something goes wrong. Software as a service is a viable alternative for those concerned with lack of prompt CMS service. A software as a service option allows educators to focus on doing what they do best; educating students and doing research, rather than running complex IT configurations and software systems. Software as a service solution, when combined with a dedicated support team that has live experts to troubleshoot issues, can provide on-demand training to both instructors and students. Lastly, with today’s budget realities, I know how challenging it can be to find cost-effective CMS choices. A progressive adoption and pricing plan can allow schools to start training faculty without paying for the full site license. It can ease technology adoption for colleges trying to do more with fewer resources. All-in-one pricing is also a must for colleges that aren’t looking for surprise service and upgrade charges. There is evidence that as the right CMS technology is embraced by all faculty for blended learning, it can enhance student performance, provide equal opportunity for students of all learning styles, connect all students with the institution and potentially reduce dropout/withdrawal rates. Learning can become more efficient and effective when you are able to take advantage of how technology can fill the gaps, regardless of time and place. In other words, welcomed, intuitive technology can maximize student engagement and improve retention. Comments: editor@ccweek.com THE INDEPENDENT VOICE COVERING COMMUNITY, TECHNICAL AND JUNIOR COLLEGES, SINCE 1988 Published by Autumn Publishing Enterprises, Inc. Publisher Pamela K. Barrett Editor Paul Bradley Contributing Editor Tom Barrett Senior Writers Sara Burnett Scott Dyer Ed Finkel Marla Fisher Eric Freedman Ian Freedman Mark Lindsay Harvey Meyer Charles Pekow Director of Graphics and Production Mark Bartley Production Assistant Heather Boucher Additional production services provided by Autumn Publishing Enterprises, Inc. Advertising Director Linda Lombardo Community College Adviser Bob Vogt COMMUNITY COLLEGE WEEK (ISSN 1041-5726) is published biweekly, 24 issues per year, by Autumn Publishing Enterprises, Inc., PO Box 1305, Fairfax, VA 22038, (703) 978-3535. Single subscription: $52 per year; two years: $90. Canadian and foreign rates furnished upon request. Autumn Publishing Enterprises, Inc., reserves the right to refuse any advertisement. Only the publication of an advertisement shall constitute final acceptance. The publication of any advertisement or article by Community College Week does not constitute an endorsement of the advertiser, products, services or ideologies presented. Autumn Publishing Enterprises, Inc., is not responsible for any claims made in an advertisement or column. Advertisers may not, without publisher’s consent, incorporate in subsequent advertising that a product or service has been advertised in an Autumn Publishing Enterprises, Inc., publication. © Autumn Publishing Enterprises, Inc., 2006 Letters to the Editor should be addressed to: editor@ccweek.com FOR SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES ONLY PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT FAIRFAX, VA 22030 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Community College Week PO Box 0567 Selmer, TN 38375-0567 Phone: (800) 475-4271 Military, from page 3, col. 1 overwhelming the system intended to support the program and almost reached the budget threshold,” Thomas said in a statement. While the suspension was in effect, the Defense Department had suggested military spouses consider alternatives to paying for college — such as the new GI Bill, a benefit service members can now transfer to their spouses and children. However, spouses said they don’t like that option. First, the GI Bill isn’t an option for everybody — military personnel must have six years in the service, and recommit for four more years, before they’re eligible to transfer the benefit to their families. Also, the GI Bill pays for 36 months of college per family. Many military service members need to reserve that benefit for themselves, or want to save it for their children. “My husband has earned that,” said Cammy Elquist LoRe, whose husband is an Army infantry officer at Fort Carson, Colo. “He deserves that and I don’t want to take it away from him.” Laura Heitink, the wife of a Marine Corps recruiter in Carlisle, Penn., said MyCAA had been paying since September for classes toward her degree in health care administration. When she went to sign up for her next course, she was told the program wouldn’t pay for it. Heitink said she used her tax refund check to pay $750 for the class, not wanting to stop again after putting her college education on hold three times previously because of military transfers. “Military spouses, we want a career, but it’s hard when you have to move around,” said Heitink, 31. “When we first moved here I went on nine job interviews. Doctors would say to me, ‘Well, I want to hire you, but I don’t know how long you’ll be here.’” Russ Bynum, based in Georgia, has covered the military since 2001. Comments: editor@ccweek.com CCW Letters policy Community College Week wants to hear your views on our news stories, feature articles and guest opinion columns, as well as other matters affecting two-year institutions. In our Point of View section, education professionals find a forum to discuss and debate today’s issues facing community, technical and junior colleges. We welcome: * Letters to the editor, which should be brief. * Insightful commentaries, which can range up to a maximum of 1,000 words on topics of interest to community colleges. IMPORTANT: Unsigned letters can’t be considered for publication, so be sure to include your name, address, phone number and e-mail. Please add your title and college, if applicable. Community College Week reserves the right to edit submissions for clarity, style and space. E-mail contributions to editor@ccweek.com. Be sure to include “Point of View” as the subject line.
www.ccweek.com March 22, 2010 5 T H E S T U D E N T V O I C E The Community College Baccalaureate Association recently concluded its 7th Annual CCBA Essay Contest. The topic was: “Why obtaining a four-year degree on my community college campus would be or is currently important to me.” The winner gets a $1,000 scholarship provided by Community College Week. Here is the winning essay: A Hail Mary Pass For the Hard-Luck Case BY MATTHEW KEESLAR , PORTLAND (ORE.) COMMUNITY COLLEGE Last May I realized that we would run out of money in ten weeks. I had been struggling as an actor in Los Angeles while my wife taught piano lessons. My son was about to start preschool. Although I happened upon success earlier in my career, I hadn’t worked in over a year. We had stretched our budget to its limit. My wife and I cobbled together a plan: We would sell our house and bunk with my in-laws while I churned through the prerequisites for nursing school. I enrolled at Portland State University, but because my parents-in-law lived in Oregon and we were coming from California, I was considered a non-resident. The tuition floored me. I would have to borrow huge loans. If I were not accepted into nursing school, I would have to find a job and start repaying those loans immediately. Having recently clawed our way out from under the debt of owning a house, incurring a new mountain of debt chilled me. I ditched that plan and enrolled at Portland Community College. The safety net of Community College caught me before I hit bottom. Without the low cost and guaranteed admission at PCC, I would have had to take a minimum-wage job to support my family. Getting into a private school was impossible. Although I had attended the Juilliard School of Drama, my grades weren’t stellar, and my old acting teachers wouldn’t remember my name, let alone write me a good recommendation. Being a recent transplant from California also decreased my eligibility for scholarships. I needed an inexpensive education that would help me land a job. I needed a place to start over. Portland Community College offered me the opportunity to improve my academic record and work toward a bachelor’s of science in nursing. Because PCC is allied with Oregon Health and Sciences University, OHSU will accept my nursing school credits. The possibility of earning an affordable four-year degree cannot be underestimated. As hospitals strive to fill positions with the best candidates, and nurses take on an increasingly important role in health care, the BSN has become a crucial element in securing a job after graduation. Enrolling in community college is giving me the chance to enter the workforce with the training I need to succeed. As the demand for specialized knowledge in the workplace escalates, the need for a four-year degree likewise increases. Community colleges offer an education to those students who are willing to work hard despite past failures or hardships. By offering a baccalaureate degree to students, community colleges would be acknowledging the current need for degrees beyond the associate level. They would also be enriching the community by turning out graduates more qualified to concentrate on and become experts in a particular field. Although my monetary resources had dwindled to zero, I had the initiative to strike out on a path to self-actualization. Luckily, my community college met me halfway. Comments: editor@ccweek.com Get your doctorate in leadership online starting June 2010…excel in all that you do As an educator, you are a guiding intellect—a source of enlightenment. Now is the time to pursue the ultimate achievement for your career, your Doctor of Executive Leadership degree from Mountain State University. This accomplishment will help you to develop heightened knowledge, skills, and competencies in the classroom and to shine a clearer light in all you do, professionally and personally. Our program is based on principles that form a foundation of excellence and will help you become a scholar-practitioner of leadership in a holistic, hands-on environment. We encourage you to call 866.FOR.MSU1 today or visit the School of Leadership and Professional Development at leadership.mountainstate.edu for more information. 866.FOR.MSU1 | www.mountainstate.edu ©2010 MOUNTAIN STATE UNIVERSITY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. MOUNTAIN STATE UNIVERSITY IS ACCREDITED BY THE HIGHER LEARNING COMMISSION AND A MEMBER OF THE NORTH CENTRAL ASSOCIATION (312.263.0456, WWW.NCAHIGHERLEARNINGCOMMISSION.ORG). MOUNTAIN STATE UNIVERSITY IS AUTHORIZED UNDER FEDERAL LAW TO ENROLL NONIMMIGRANT ALIEN STUDENTS.
Page 1 and 2: THE INDEPENDENT VOICE COVERING COMM
Page 3: www.ccweek.com March 22, 2010 3 aro
Page 7 and 8: www.ccweek.com March 22, 2010 7 Com
Page 9 and 10: www.ccweek.com March 22, 2010 9 Eve
Page 11 and 12: www.ccweek.com March 22, 2010 11 mo
Page 13 and 14: www.ccweek.com March 22, 2010 13 tr
Page 15 and 16: www.ccweek.com March 22, 2010 15 tr
Page 17 and 18: www.ccweek.com March 22, 2010 17 Wy
Page 19 and 20: www.ccweek.com March 22, 2010 19 Al
Page 21 and 22: www.ccweek.com March 22, 2010 21 te
Page 23 and 24: www.ccweek.com March 22, 2010 23 ar
Page 25 and 26: www.ccweek.com March 22, 2010 25 pr
Page 27 and 28: www.ccweek.com Career Connections M

Download - Community College Week

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?