Closing Comments
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.