Teacher Academy
Institutional Mission & Culture
The landscape of post-secondary education (i.e. higher education) has changed significantly over its nearly 400-year history in America. More than 4,500 degree-granting institutions of higher learning have been established since the founding of Harvard College, the first such institution, in 1636.
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1. Understand the history of higher education in America |
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2. Recognize the development of and impact of community colleges within the higher education system |
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3. Identify the struggles in higher education and the resulting 21st century transformation |
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• Changing landscape of higher education in America since 1636 • Increased number of colleges and universities across the West and South • Population explosion on the college and university campus • Impact of higher education on society |
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• Impact of community colleges |
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• Diversity of students • Diversity of programs • Responding to economic and physical constraints |
Once only an opportunity for male children of the most affluent American landowners and politicians, today's college and university campuses now reflect the diversity of a global population. This microcosm includes not only male and female, but represents all racial make-ups and socio-economic classes. And unlike the earliest college students who primarily attended university to study the liberal arts and prepare for futures as ministers and politicians, programs of study today are limited only by the limits of imagination.
Take a few minutes to watch the following video about higher education in the United States.
Click the image below to begin the video.
YouTube, Colonial Williamsburg's Nutshell History: Higher Education
Published on Feb 12, 2014. Retrieved 08/27/14.
Complete the following activity based on the video you just watched.
Show/hide quiz group...
During the 20th century, the community college became a major player on the stage of higher education. A number of factors influenced this trend: as America faced global competition there was new demand for a skilled workforce; local school systems looked for ways to better serve their communities; and an increasing number of high school graduates desired to attend college but wanted to remain close to home and to avoid the financial burden incurred by attending a distant university. The results were astounding; since the opening of Joliet Junior College (Illinois) in 1901, over 100 million people have been served by community colleges in America.
Read the following web entry for a brief introduction to community colleges.
About Community College (2014). Retrieved 09/08/2014. http://www.aacc.nche.edu/AboutCC/Pages/default.aspx
Read the following web entry which discusses a century of progress in the community college sector.
Community Colleges: Past to Present (2014). Retrieved 09/08/2014. http://www.aacc.nche.edu/AboutCC/history/Pages/pasttopresent.aspx
Reflect on the following statement from the article you just read.
"No other segment of higher education is more responsive to its community and workforce needs than the community college."
Non-profit colleges and universities of the 21st century generally include: community (junior or 2-yr) colleges, liberal arts (public or private 4-yr) colleges, or a college (usually a specific undergraduate program) within a university. The number of for-profit colleges has also increased significantly over the past decade. The mission of each institution varies as greatly as its student population. Some focus on the liberal arts, while others emphasize vocational, technical or business training; still others offer a broad, comprehensive range of programs. While most institutions (both public and private) are co-educational, a small sector of private, liberal arts colleges remain single-sex institutions. Enrollment at both the university and community college level is diverse in age, gender, and race.
The enrollment statistics below were reported by the National Center for Educational Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences and include their most recent IPEDS data released.Data reported included: attendance status, gender, state or jurisdiction, age, and race/ethnicity at both 2- and 4-year institutions.
Undergraduate enrollment at Title IV public 2-year institutions, by attendance status, gender, and state or jurisdiction: Fall 2009 (Data Source IPEDS 2010, Release date 2012)
http://nces.ed.gov/datalab/tableslibrary/viewtable.aspx?tableid=8588
Undergraduate enrollment at Title IV public 4-year institutions, by attendance status, gender, and state or jurisdiction: Fall 2009 (Data Source IPEDS 2010, Release date 2012)
http://nces.ed.gov/datalab/tableslibrary/viewtable.aspx?tableid=8585
In fall 2012, total undergraduate enrollment in degree-granting postsecondary institutions was 17.7 million students, an increase of 48 percent from 1990 when enrollment was 12.0 million students. The rate of growth was 10 percent between 1990 and 2000 and 37 percent between 2000 and 2010. While total enrollment increased overall between 1990 and 2012, enrollment in 2012 was nearly 2 percent lower than in 2010. Undergraduate enrollment is projected to increase from 17.7 million to 20.2 million students between 2012 and 2023.
http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator_cha.asp
Other Demographic Statistics
http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator_csb.asp
Figure 1. Percentage distribution of full-time undergraduate enrollment in degree-granting postsecondary institutions, by institutional level and control and student age: Fall 2011
Figure 2. Percentage distribution of part-time undergraduate enrollment in degree-granting postsecondary institutions, by institutional level and control and student age: Fall 2011
Figure 3. Percentage distribution of total undergraduate enrollment in degree-granting postsecondary institutions, by institutional level and control and race/ethnicity of student: Fall 2012
The number of associate's degrees awarded in the fields of liberal arts and sciences, general studies, and humanities; health professions and related programs; and business management, marketing, and support services increased from 2001–02 to 2011–12. Degrees awarded for liberal arts and sciences increased by 62 percent during this period, from 207,200 to 336,600. Health profession degrees conferred increased by 165 percent, from 82,400 to 218,000, and business degrees awarded increased by 41 percent, from 86,700 to 122,000.
In 2011–12, some 1.8 million bachelor's degrees were awarded by postsecondary institutions, an increase of 4 percent from 2010–11. Of the bachelor's degrees awarded in 2011–12, almost one-third (30 percent) were concentrated in two fields: business (20 percent) and social sciences and history (10 percent). The three fields awarding the next largest percentages of bachelor's degrees in 2011–12 were health professions and related programs (9 percent), psychology (6 percent), and education (6 percent). These were the same five fields in which the largest percentages of bachelor's degrees were awarded in 2001–02, 2006–07, and 2010–11.
http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator_cta.asp
Retrieved 11/10/14.
Admission at the university level grows increasingly competitive, and many students desiring the most prestigious programs often find themselves "wait-listed." Physical space also greatly limits the number of students accepted per university-freshman class, thus schools often deny admission to some of the most promising students.
Community colleges, on the other hand, typically embrace an open-door policy of admissions; yet, again demand outweighs space available. As physical and economic constraints limit enrollment, technology is driving 21st century higher education transformation. The once only brick-and-mortar institution, is quickly being replicated and enhanced by its online, virtual counterpart. This new availability opens the door to even greater enrollment and diversity of students across the globe.
Please watch the following video. Although it is actually a book review of The Future of Higher Education: Framing 21st Century Social Issues by Dan Clawson and Max Page, the reviewer provides a concise picture of the current state of affairs in higher education.
YouTube, The Future of Higher Education: Framing 21st Century Social Issues
Published Feb 28, 2013. Retrieved 08/30/2014. http://youtu.be/cegp3g9nvwI
Whereas the growth of the community college defined higher education transformation in the 20th century, virtual (online) programs will define the transformation of the entire higher education platform for the 21st century. Indeed you are living proof as you participate in this training program online. As instructors we too are challenged to become more comfortable with the technologies our profession demands. Many of the students in our classroom – the children of this millennium, often referred to as digital natives – demand a new type of instruction. Having been immersed in digital media all of their lives, traditional classrooms no longer meet their needs as consumers. And in order to meet consumer demand, we will continue to see dramatic increases in virtual degree programs. As educators, we must train ourselves to make effective use of the technology that is available in order to prepare our students for the 21st century workforce.
This workforce solution was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration. The solution was created by the grantee and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of labor. The Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership.
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