Trends and Current Issues

Mobile apps are providing information on the go for a host of subjects today. Now, community colleges are getting in on the technology action, with their very own apps designed just for their students and faculty. Whether you are looking for information about extracurricular activities available on campus or where to go for financial aid assistance, these apps are ready to get you the information you need in a flash – no matter where you might be. Check out how some community colleges across the country are using the latest technology craze to make campus life easier for their student body.

Two Mobile Apps Available to Montgomery County Community College Students

Montgomery County Community College students now have their campus in the palms of their hands – quite literally – with two new mobile apps available. According to a report at the Upper Moreland-Willow Grove Patch, the school now features MOX, an application by Datatel’s Mobile Access that offers a wealth of information about the college. The app includes general information about both the Blue Bell and Pottstown campuses, including current campus events, contact information for school administrators, class schedules and locations, and even overdue library books. The app is linked to the campus portal, allowing users to sign in with their usual MC3 username and password. Information from the portal that is also included in the app gives students access to important information from anywhere on campus. Currently, Montgomery County is the only

Community colleges have traditionally been focused on getting in, getting an associate degree in two years or less, and getting into the workforce as quickly as possible. Those who wanted to continue their education had to take on the headache of transferring all of their community college credits to a four-year institution. Today, a number of community colleges are offering bachelor's degrees to student who complete associate degrees and want to take their training and education to the next level - without leaving campus.

What's Different about Community College Bachelor's Degrees?

While many students are clamoring for a spot in a four-year community college program that costs much less than a similar degree from a nearby university, community colleges are stressing the point that they are not trying to be just like the four-year postsecondary institutions. First, most community colleges offering bachelor's degrees are doing so as an extension of their own associate degree programs. Students earn the associate degree first to become eligible to apply for the bachelor's program.

These bachelor's degrees will also differ from traditional university offerings because they will be limited to degree programs that can take students directly into the workforce. In keeping with the long-standing tradition of community colleges to raise up a new generation of work-ready adults, these programs are designed specifically with a profession in mind. Instead of offering liberal arts programs in political science or English, these bachelor's degrees will be in specific fields like

Many teenagers look forward to finishing high school and beginning college as the time when they can finally escape their parents. But for an increasing number of American families, the start of a teenager’s college career is coinciding with a parent’s return to the classroom. For these families, attending college becomes a multi-generational affair.

While some teenagers might cringe at the idea of being in a class alongside a parent, others are finding that sharing the experience of community college with Mom or Dad provides unexpected benefits alongside its inevitable challenges.

Why Parents and Children are Increasingly Attending Community College Together

A recent Chicago Tribune article notes that the increase in parents and students who are sharing the same community college campus is a result of two social forces:

1. The recession is driving many working adults to return to school to pursue a new degree. According to the Tribune, Illinois’s Harper Community College has seen the population of adult students jump by 17.5 percent this semester from spring 2009.
2. Tighter family budgets are causing more high school graduates to start taking courses at more affordable community colleges rather than going immediately to a more expensive four-year college or university.

This video offers tips for parents going back to college.

The Benefits of Parents Becoming Students Themselves

Parents who attend community college along with their adolescent children often find unexpected benefits.

Although women were at one time excluded from many institutions of secondary education, in recent years, they have established themselves as a majority presence on two-year and four-year college campuses. According to a December 2009 Washington Post report, women make up 60% of higher education students nationwide, primarily because men are more likely to drop out of school, join the military, or go to prison.

However, the tide may be beginning to shift at community colleges, where male enrollment has been on the increase. Inside Higher Ed reports that for the first time in years, community colleges have experienced enrollment of male students either equal to or above their enrollment of female students.

A Spike in Male Students

Randolph Community College, in North Carolina, experienced an increase of 68% in first-time full-time male enrollment from Fall 2008 to Fall 2009, bringing the current male population at the community college up to 37%. Meanwhile, in Washington State, Lower Columbia College noted that full-time male student enrollment was 36% higher in Fall 2009 than it had been in Fall 2008.

This video offers ten tips on how to succeed in college.

Inside Higher Ed reports that Kent Phillipe, the director of research at the American Association of Community College, notes that the group’s recent studies show that the number of male students at community colleges has grown

Community colleges play an integral role in our country. In fact, according to the Community College Journal, almost one-half of the nation’s undergraduates start their post-high school educational careers at a community college.

As community colleges continue to evolve, they address the importance of a global perspective for students and faculty. Globalization present in today’s economic environment means students must be prepared to face international competition. Not only have many U.S. jobs moved overseas, but also jobs available in this country require a higher level of skills than was necessary a decade ago.

Educating the workforce and preparing students for this new global environment is now one of the primary goals of many community colleges. As you will see, they are embracing this challenge with innovative ideas and remarkable passion.

The Importance of a Global Perspective

If community colleges want to prepare students to work and to succeed in the global marketplace, the first step is to build a global perspective at the school itself. That is exactly what a number of community colleges are doing. For example, Southeast Community College in Nebraska surveyed its faculty to ascertain how syllabi reflected a global perspective. For example, did English courses incorporate literature from around the world?

In this TED talk, Heather Wylie challenges us to change the conversation from community colleges as places of last resort to institutions of innovation inspiration and social change.