TRENDING  //  Connected Student Report  //  Five Key Trends In AV For Education

Podcast Series: Innovations in Education

Explore the full series of eCampus News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.

An innovative approach to education opens pathways in Colorado

Castle Rock, Colorado, is one of the fastest growing cities in the state, with 19.5-percent growth in the past six years. Previously, 80 percent of residents commuted outside the city for work; however, citizens in Castle Rock and greater Douglas County, Colorado, have a newfound commitment to transform the city into a standalone community that offers residents an abundance of career opportunities.

In response, Arapahoe Community College (ACC), the town of Castle Rock, Castle Rock Economic Development Council, Colorado State University (CSU), and the Douglas County School District (DCSD) formed a joint venture to change the educational landscape for local students and the surrounding community. The alliance is also serving as a national model for communities seeking to create a collaborative higher-ed hub that builds a local talent pipeline and drives regional and state-wide economic growth.

Creating a collaborative higher-ed hub

When it opens this fall, the Arapahoe Community College Sturm Collaboration Campus will offer learners a seamless transition from high school diploma to associate degree to bachelor’s degree to career, with the goal of having multiple on- and off-ramps along the way.…Read More

1 2

These states offer good jobs that don’t require 4-year degrees

Nearly half the states in the U.S. have good blue-collar jobs that pay without bachelor’s degrees, according to a new state-level analysis of the 30 million jobs in the economy for those with less than a bachelor’s degree.

The report and companion website GoodJobsData.org, from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce (Georgetown Center) in partnership with JPMorgan Chase & Co., also reveal that more good jobs have been going to associate’s degree holders than workers with no more than a high school diploma in nearly every state since 1991.

“Good Jobs That Pay without a B.A.: A State-by-State Analysis” finds that 34 states added good non-BA jobs between 1991 and 2015. Texas, Arizona, and states in the South and West experienced the fastest growth in these jobs.…Read More

1 2

#3: 3 big ways today’s college students are different from just a decade ago

[Editor’s note: This story, originally published on July 8th of this year, was our #3 most popular story of the year. Happy holidays, and thank you for tuning into our 2017 countdown!]

Gen Z, the digital generation, non-traditional students, and potentially many more descriptions have been used to label the current postsecondary body of students, but what may not be so evident is exactly how much their preferences, lifestyles and experiences have radically changed from even a decade ago.

And it’s these large changes that are critical for colleges and universities not just to take notice of now, but also to anticipate what students and their needs may look like in 2027.…Read More

1 2

6 characteristics of an innovative university

Just like 2016’s improvement trends, academic program creation and evaluation was top-of-mind with institutions. However, this year colleges and universities looked to diversify their program portfolios, either through offering online or blended learning offerings, through offering micro-credentials, or by placing their bets on emerging programs.

This is just one of the trends highlighted in Hanover Research’s 2017 Industry Trend Report, which studies the impact of these improvement trends across the 800 research projects commissioned by over 300 higher education clients (Hanover’s client list includes Georgetown University, Gonzaga, Johns Hopkins, Texas A&M, and Wake Forest to name a few). Hanover’s research work spans all institutional type—four-year, community college, business schools, law schools—as well as departments like marketing, academic affairs and finance/operations.

What’s also noteworthy this year is that Hanover has gone a step further in identifying the overarching improvement trend of academic program creation and review by including a list of the top high-growth and emerging programs in higher ed at the moment.…Read More

1 2

Student: 3 components of a non-traditional pathway that will work for my career

“College is the only option if you want a real job, a real career, if you want to make something of yourself,” said every parent in the US since forever. For anyone growing up in this country, it’s become a truism passed down from generation to generation. Sure, a generation or so ago, there were solid blue collar jobs that could lead to good life, but a “college job” was the brass ring.

And we are also made to believe that the more prestigious the school, the better job options you will have in the future. Well, I have news for you; it’s not true, or at least not as true as it once was.

My Story…Read More

1 2

How to change recruitment for an evolving high school grad demographic

The fundamental nature of post-secondary education recruiting is changing significantly and enrollment management departments need to start preparing for those changes now.

First, the pool of eligible students is predicted to decline in the immediate future. The graduating high school classes from 2017 through 2023 will all produce fewer graduating seniors than the peak of 2013.

In addition, the demographics of those graduating classes are shifting. For example, the number of graduating Hispanic students is predicted to increase by more than 50 percent by 2025, while Caucasian students will decline by 14 percent by 2030.…Read More

1 2

DACA “Dreamers” to get free access to all course content and certifications

OpenClassrooms, a global online educational platform that offers digital skill building and improvement for students, announced the launch of its curriculum in the US.

Learning opportunities for prospective students at every level–from novice to seasoned tech pro–are now available for the following career paths: iOS Developer, Android Developer, Ruby Developer, Front-end Developer and Product Management, enabling students to land careers in some of today’s most cutting-edge industries, such app development, software engineering and others.

Filling Job Gaps…Read More

3 nontraditional pathways taking over higher ed

It’s an increasingly popular trend among the young crowd: opting out of a traditional 4-year college experience immediately after high school graduation to pursue nontraditional pathways to postsecondary education.

According to a brief from Coding Dojo (a coding bootcamp), Noodle (an ed website aimed at helping parents and students make better learning decisions), and UnCollege (a program aimed to equip young adults with skills to succeed both personally and professionally post-high school), there are three distinctive nontraditional pathways students seem most inclined to pursue…and for good reason.

“College costs keep growing and student debt is over one trillion dollars,” explained Richard Wang, CEO at Coding Dojo in a statement. “These alternative education options can help keep student debt under control, while providing individuals with real-world experience and skills employers are looking for in job candidates.”…Read More

1 2

America’s 20 most innovative colleges for adult learners

The Washington Monthly recently released its annual College Guide and Rankings, an increasingly influential alternative to U.S. News & World Report‘s much-criticized rankings. The Guide also features America’s 12 most innovative colleges for adult learners.

According to Washington Monthly’s Editor-in-Chief, Paul Glastris, the Washington Monthly “measures colleges and universities based on what they are doing for the country–by improving social mobility, producing research, and promoting public service.”

For the second year in a row, the publication ranked the best two- and four-year colleges for adult learners. “The share of college students who are 25 years old or older is around 40 percent,” says Paul Glastris in a statement. “But most colleges haven’t adapted. For example, they still schedule most classes around midday, which is convenient for late-night-partying undergrads, rather than at nights and on weekends, when adults with jobs and families can actually attend them.”…Read More

1 2

Attention higher ed: Here’s what you should know about adult ed back-to-school

As the dog days of summer draw to a close, it’s time to turn our attention to the classroom. “Back to School” season is now in full swing, and students around the country have furiously begun preparing for the upcoming school year. But there are also a number of new and emerging avenues for personal and career development that people are taking advantage of.

Why? Because a growing number of adults are opting instead to pursue education later in life. In 2014 alone, more than 8 million students over the age of 25 were pursuing advanced education, according to the National Center for Education Statistics–and that number is expected to rise to 9.6 million by 2020.

The reasons for these numbers are as varied as the individuals they represent: some may have joined the military at a young age or decided to first save money or start a family, while others may have experienced life transitions like having kids or becoming caretakers of elderly loved ones. For others, pursuing education later in life may have allowed them to undertake passion projects at a younger age.…Read More

1 2