National e-Learning Landscape Survey Shows Use of Online Learning is a Growing Trend at Community Colleges
Study from the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship and HP reveals benefits of e-learning, including support for student completion.
Springfield, MA, May 15, 2014 --(PR.com)-- A newly completed national survey of community college faculty reveals that e-learning is already used at 47% of community colleges, a figure that is expected to grow to 55% within two years. Eighty-four percent of the faculty surveyed said e-learning is a valuable educational tool.
The survey was conducted through a collaboration between the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship, the nation’s leading organization focused on promoting entrepreneurship through community colleges, and Hewlett-Packard, whose programs include HP LIFE e-Learning, a free, cloud-based, peer-reviewed, e-learning program that offers online IT and business skills training for entrepreneurs. Part of HP Living Progress, the company’s vision for creating a better future for everyone through its actions and innovations, the goals of the HP LIFE e-Learning program include helping to create jobs and stimulate economic growth.
The survey was sent to 578 U.S. community college faculty identified by NACCE and lead researcher Eric Liguori, assistant professor at California State University, Fresno. Just over 250 educators completed the survey, a response rate of 44%.
Emphasis on increasing completion rates
“Keeping students on track to earning a credential, whether that be a degree or certification, has become a national interest in recent years,” said NACCE President and CEO Heather Van Sickle. “While community colleges provide accessible, affordable education, it is paramount that students walk away with credentials that are meaningful in the workplace and that they are prepared for the careers they hope to pursue, including, for many, the start of entrepreneurial endeavors. Our survey looked at how community college faculty members are using e-learning as a cost-effective means to achieve this completion objective.”
“Among other benefits, e-learning gives community colleges the ability to broaden access and deepen learning experiences for geographically far-flung students, including those who reside in rural areas,” said Jeannette Weisschuh, Director, Economic Progress Strategy at HP. “E-learning also enables them to provide more access to educational materials for students who need further support. We’re proud HP LIFE e-Learning is a part of this new style of teaching and learning.”
Increased Usage of e-Learning
47% of the teachers/administrators surveyed say that their community college uses online components in teaching. When asked to think two years ahead, there is a slight increase (now 55%) in the online teaching modalities. This is primarily due to foreseen increase in hybrid and purely online learning.
Benefits of e-learning
The top five benefits of e-learning as identified by the surveyed faculty are:
(1) It increases access through location and time flexible learning;
(2) More resources and information are available to students 24/7;
(3) Teachers can use a wide variety of tools and methods for teaching;
(4) It is a good supplement to face-to-face curriculum e.g. as additional study materials; and
(5) It can lead to a richer learning experience if integrated correctly, freeing up class time for more engaging activities. This is often referred to as “flipping the classroom.”
Who benefits from e-learning?
The survey also asked faculty under which conditions online learning best facilitates student learning. Thirty-eight percent of the respondents focused on the needs of students Access to online learning for students who face time constraints, such as working students, or who face distance-related challenges in coming to school, was cited by 18% of respondents as factors that make online or hybrid courses helpful to students. Similarly, 18% said online or hybrid courses work best for students with the right motivation, time management skills, discipline and focus.
“As part of the NACCE-HP collaboration that produced this survey, HP LIFE has been integrated into the entrepreneurship curricula in over 55 NACCE-member campuses,” said Van Sickle. “Faculty tell us they are finding this form of e-learning to be a great asset to their entrepreneurship students. They are great supplements that give real life business examples. HP LIFE completion rates are high because the students view them as fun and engaging. We believe the use of such online learning tools will only grow in the coming years, not only in entrepreneurship programs, but across the whole breadth of subjects taught at community colleges.”
For more information on the NACCE-HP survey, see the attached Fact Sheet. Also, to learn more about HP LIFE (Learning Initiative for Entrepreneurs) e-Learning, visit www.life-global.org/go/nacce.
About NACCE
The National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) is an organization of presidents, administrators, educators, center directors and entrepreneurs, focused on inciting entrepreneurship in their community and on their campus. NACCE has two main goals: 1. Empower the college to approach the business of running a community college with an entrepreneurial mindset, and 2. Grow the community college’s role in supporting job creation and entrepreneurs in their local ecosystem.
Founded in 2002, NACCE is at the heart of the "entrepreneurship movement.” Through membership, an annual conference and exhibition, regional summits, a quarterly journal, monthly webinars, a dynamic list-serv, and training resources, NACCE serves as the hub for the dissemination and integration of knowledge and successful practices regarding entrepreneurial leadership, entrepreneurship education and student business incubation. These initiatives and resulting actions advance economic prosperity in the communities served by its member colleges. NACCE is a founding member of the White House-led Startup America Partnership. For more information, visit http://www.nacce.com.
About HP LIFE e-Learning
HP LIFE e-Learning is a free, cloud-based, peer-reviewed, online training program that enables people to gain the business and IT skills that help create jobs and stimulate economic growth. Powered by HP technology, the program is accessed directly by self-paced learners and is also used by educators, trainers, and mentors to enrich their curriculum.
Twenty-three courses are available in six languages covering core business competencies. The program also offers a range of additional features including certification, advice and access to a global online community. HP LIFE e-Learning is an HP Living Progress initiative, the company’s vision of creating a better future for everyone through its actions and innovations.
The survey was conducted through a collaboration between the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship, the nation’s leading organization focused on promoting entrepreneurship through community colleges, and Hewlett-Packard, whose programs include HP LIFE e-Learning, a free, cloud-based, peer-reviewed, e-learning program that offers online IT and business skills training for entrepreneurs. Part of HP Living Progress, the company’s vision for creating a better future for everyone through its actions and innovations, the goals of the HP LIFE e-Learning program include helping to create jobs and stimulate economic growth.
The survey was sent to 578 U.S. community college faculty identified by NACCE and lead researcher Eric Liguori, assistant professor at California State University, Fresno. Just over 250 educators completed the survey, a response rate of 44%.
Emphasis on increasing completion rates
“Keeping students on track to earning a credential, whether that be a degree or certification, has become a national interest in recent years,” said NACCE President and CEO Heather Van Sickle. “While community colleges provide accessible, affordable education, it is paramount that students walk away with credentials that are meaningful in the workplace and that they are prepared for the careers they hope to pursue, including, for many, the start of entrepreneurial endeavors. Our survey looked at how community college faculty members are using e-learning as a cost-effective means to achieve this completion objective.”
“Among other benefits, e-learning gives community colleges the ability to broaden access and deepen learning experiences for geographically far-flung students, including those who reside in rural areas,” said Jeannette Weisschuh, Director, Economic Progress Strategy at HP. “E-learning also enables them to provide more access to educational materials for students who need further support. We’re proud HP LIFE e-Learning is a part of this new style of teaching and learning.”
Increased Usage of e-Learning
47% of the teachers/administrators surveyed say that their community college uses online components in teaching. When asked to think two years ahead, there is a slight increase (now 55%) in the online teaching modalities. This is primarily due to foreseen increase in hybrid and purely online learning.
Benefits of e-learning
The top five benefits of e-learning as identified by the surveyed faculty are:
(1) It increases access through location and time flexible learning;
(2) More resources and information are available to students 24/7;
(3) Teachers can use a wide variety of tools and methods for teaching;
(4) It is a good supplement to face-to-face curriculum e.g. as additional study materials; and
(5) It can lead to a richer learning experience if integrated correctly, freeing up class time for more engaging activities. This is often referred to as “flipping the classroom.”
Who benefits from e-learning?
The survey also asked faculty under which conditions online learning best facilitates student learning. Thirty-eight percent of the respondents focused on the needs of students Access to online learning for students who face time constraints, such as working students, or who face distance-related challenges in coming to school, was cited by 18% of respondents as factors that make online or hybrid courses helpful to students. Similarly, 18% said online or hybrid courses work best for students with the right motivation, time management skills, discipline and focus.
“As part of the NACCE-HP collaboration that produced this survey, HP LIFE has been integrated into the entrepreneurship curricula in over 55 NACCE-member campuses,” said Van Sickle. “Faculty tell us they are finding this form of e-learning to be a great asset to their entrepreneurship students. They are great supplements that give real life business examples. HP LIFE completion rates are high because the students view them as fun and engaging. We believe the use of such online learning tools will only grow in the coming years, not only in entrepreneurship programs, but across the whole breadth of subjects taught at community colleges.”
For more information on the NACCE-HP survey, see the attached Fact Sheet. Also, to learn more about HP LIFE (Learning Initiative for Entrepreneurs) e-Learning, visit www.life-global.org/go/nacce.
About NACCE
The National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) is an organization of presidents, administrators, educators, center directors and entrepreneurs, focused on inciting entrepreneurship in their community and on their campus. NACCE has two main goals: 1. Empower the college to approach the business of running a community college with an entrepreneurial mindset, and 2. Grow the community college’s role in supporting job creation and entrepreneurs in their local ecosystem.
Founded in 2002, NACCE is at the heart of the "entrepreneurship movement.” Through membership, an annual conference and exhibition, regional summits, a quarterly journal, monthly webinars, a dynamic list-serv, and training resources, NACCE serves as the hub for the dissemination and integration of knowledge and successful practices regarding entrepreneurial leadership, entrepreneurship education and student business incubation. These initiatives and resulting actions advance economic prosperity in the communities served by its member colleges. NACCE is a founding member of the White House-led Startup America Partnership. For more information, visit http://www.nacce.com.
About HP LIFE e-Learning
HP LIFE e-Learning is a free, cloud-based, peer-reviewed, online training program that enables people to gain the business and IT skills that help create jobs and stimulate economic growth. Powered by HP technology, the program is accessed directly by self-paced learners and is also used by educators, trainers, and mentors to enrich their curriculum.
Twenty-three courses are available in six languages covering core business competencies. The program also offers a range of additional features including certification, advice and access to a global online community. HP LIFE e-Learning is an HP Living Progress initiative, the company’s vision of creating a better future for everyone through its actions and innovations.
Contact
National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship
Jeanne Yocum
413-467-9470
www.nacce.com
Jeanne Yocum
413-467-9470
www.nacce.com
Contact
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