Fishman describes four distinct barriers to successful degree completion for nontraditional students enrolled in community colleges, as well as four ways to overcome those barriers. She then lists the community colleges that are implementing these innovations:
1. Barrier: Remediation
The report notes that 40 percent of undergrads at community colleges enroll in remedial coursework; but only 10 percent of first-year students who start off in remediation will graduate within three years.
Tech-enhanced solution: Individualized learning through a computer learning lab
Community College: Jackson State Community College (JSCC) in Tenn.
JSCC decided to overhaul its remedial math courses by adopting an “Emporium” model, where student are required to attend mandatory computer lab sessions using Pearson’s MyMathLab adaptive software. In 2008, before the remedial courses were redesigned, 41 percent of students earned passing grades in this coursework. By 2010, after the redesign, 54 percent of students earned a passing grade. The redesign has also reduced the cost per student by over 20 percent. Learn more here.
2. Barrier: Life events interrupting students’ class attendance
Tech-enhanced solution: Flexible, online course and program options
There are three modalities that can incorporate this solution, says the report: Hybrid, fully online, and competency-based.
Community College for hybrid: Frederick Community College (FCC) in Md.
FCC experienced enrollment growth during the Great Recession because adults were looking for the skills and credentials needed to compete in the workforce, explains the report. But as the economy recovered, enrollment flattened, except in hybrid and online courses, which the College says is due to the flexibility offered. Learn more about how FCC’s Director of Learning Technologies redesigned courses to go Hybrid. According to FCC, 80 percent of the students who begin in a hybrid course complete it, and the courses have an overall success rate (students with a grade of C or higher) of 80 to 90 percent.
Community College for fully online and credentialed: Rio Salado College in Ariz.
In 1996, Rio Salado became one of the first colleges—and the first community college—in the U.S. to move totally online, says the report. It developed its own LMS called RioLearn to administer and track its online education. Learn about Rio Salado’s best practices and how they became recognized by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for helping retain students who are the most prone to dropping out of college.
Community College for competency-based: Kentucky’s Community and Technical College System (KCTCS)
KCTCS developed an online system called Learn on Demand (LoD) that allows students to access online programs through a single, streamlined website to begin, continue, and complete their online degree program, with little or no need to be physically present at any campus location. Learn more about the program here.
3. Barrier: Advisors overburdened or unavailable after-hours to help students who need scheduling flexibility
Tech-enhanced solution: Integrated planning and services
Community College: Sinclair Community College (SCC) in Ohio
With the help of federal grant money, SCC developed the Student Success Plan (SSP) in the early 2000s, says the report, which is a software suite “designed to support students through completion.” SSP is part of a broader movement by some institutions toward integrated planning and services (IPAS). The software helps advise, counsel, and provide web-based support to students. The year-to-year retention rate of active participants who use the software as part of the Pathways to Completion (PTC) program is 40 percent higher than similar students who are not in the PTC program. The average PTC minority students is over 50 percent points higher than non PTC students; and PTC students are also five times more likely to graduate within six years. Learn more.
4. Barrier: Starting all over upon transfer
Tech-enhanced solution: Articulated transfer pathways
Community Colleges: Those located in Florida
According to Fishman, Florida “has been at the forefront in having state policies that make it easy to transfer college credits.” All public colleges and universities within the state use a common course numbering system—English 101 at one campus will count for English 101 at another. “This has helped many of the state’s universities create articulation agreements that guarantee admission for students who have finished their associate degrees at local community colleges,” she explains. For example, the articulation agreement at the University of Central Florida (UCF) is known as DirectConnect and is a partnership with Eastern Florida State College, Lake Sumter State College, Seminole State College, and Valencia College. The agreement guarantees admission to UCF with an associate degree from one of the partner colleges. Learn more here.
For more information on the impact of tech innovations for postsecondary learning; specific college best practices; as well as suggestions for federal, state, and institutional policymakers, read the full report here.
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