Hands-on with Higher Ed Tech

Please note that this event was rescheduled from its original date, February 17th. Please RSVP again if you plan to attend on the new date. 

Community colleges are often the only or the last chance for a college education for many of America’s students. Some students enroll in a couple of classes or a short-term certificate to gain new skills, some enroll to obtain their associate degrees, and some enroll with the intention to transfer to a four-year institution. The open access of community college is one of America’s greatest postsecondary strengths, but also one of its greatest challenges. While almost anyone with minimum qualifications can enter a community college and pursue a postsecondary credential, few will actually complete.

Community college students need access to more high-quality, flexible support services, courses, and credentials to succeed. Students should be able to take at least two courses a semester—two in the fall, two in the spring, and two in the summer—so that they can complete their associate degrees in two to four years. Innovative use of information technology can help get them there.

On April 29th, New America’s Education Policy Program will host an event that focuses on the use of information technology at community colleges. In February, New America released Community College Online, which features case studies of how community colleges are harnessing technology to improve remediation, student services, and content delivery. Join us for a highly interactive technology expo where we present many of the innovations featured in the report.

Please note that only the opening remarks and innovation presentations will be live streamed.

Take part in the conversation online using #CCOnline and following @NewAmericaEd.

Agenda:

10:00 AM : Welcome and Opening Remarks

Rachel Fishman
Senior Policy Analyst, New America
@HigherEdRachel

10:05 AM: Innovation Presentations

Representatives from five case studies featured in Community College Online will give short presentations about how they use technology to improve student success.

10:30 AM: Interactive Expo

Attendees will have the chance to interact with the technologies mentioned during the innovation presentations. These innovations include:

•  Take a sample course from Kentucky Community and Technical College System’s “Learn on Demand,” a program that offers competency-based, fully-online courses and credentials.
  Presenter: William J. Ryan, Executive Director of Learn on Demand
• Learn more about Quality Matters, a faculty-centered, continuous improvement model that assures the quality of online courses through peer review and professional development.
  Presenter: Deb Adair, Managing Director and Chief Planning Officer, Quality Matters
• See how the Open Education Resource (OER) movement is paving the way to more affordable course resources at Paradise Valley Community College.
  Presenter: Paul Golisch, IT Administrator and Math Instructor, Paradise Valley Community College
• Learn more about how Integrated Planning and Advising Services technology can help students navigate the path to their credential.
  Presenter: Russ Little, Chief Innovation Officer, PAR Framework
• See how remedial math at Jackson State Community College can be tailored to fit students’ needs, focusing on the skills necessary to be successful in credit-bearing courses.
  Presenter: Betty Frost, Associate Professor of Math, Jackson State Community College and Linda Pride, Professor of Mathematics, Jackson State Community College.