Flying SOLO for Student Success

This chapter describes how one innovative practice evolved to become an integral part of the college's efforts to increase student preparedness and success in courses so that they will be employable and competitive in the global workforce. Texas State Technical College Harlingen aimed to enhance student success in online education through implementing a mandatory class, Student Online Learning Orientation, for new online students. The course was developed as the result of faculty research and recommendations regarding online learning at the college. The majority of students at the college are underprepared and from low socioeconomic backgrounds, putting them at a disadvantage in taking these courses. Rather than a barrier to taking online classes, the goal of this class is to provide students with the necessary tools and skills to be successful. Results of the program show an increase in persistence and completion of online courses, and the course has become an integral part of the college's training and first-year experience for all students.

Interdisciplinary Health Science Simulation Center

The purpose of this chapter is to describe the benefits and challenges associated with creating an interdisciplinary simulation center for eight allied health programs (athletic training, medical laboratory technician, nursing, occupational therapy assistant, paramedic technology, pharmacy technician, radiography, and respiratory therapy) at a two-year college. Planning, securing resources, developing and implementing curricula, training faculty, orienting students, preliminary survey data, and plans for sustainability will be shared.

Beyond 1-1 Advising

This chapter presents practices Eastfield College employs to move beyond a traditional one-on-one advising model when preparing students for the twenty-first century workforce. No matter the students' status, first-time in college, returning to retool or dual high school-college enrollee, community colleges must rethink approaches to supporting them throughout the workforce development process if we are to adequately meet this century's workforce demands. In an institution-wide, customer-service approach, student needs not only drive the design but the delivery of support services. This chapter describes how Eastfield takes services to students by hosting Lunch and Learns, providing onsite advising, and establishing liaisons with local business partners. Collaborations with area high school districts to facilitate career and technical related career offerings are also discussed.

Addressing the Shortage of Teachers of Color

To address the higher education access gap, post-secondary institutions must be aware and address the shortage of teachers of color in K-12 education. Within this chapter, the authors argue that community colleges must play an inherent role in identifying and preparing the new generation of teachers who identify as racially or ethnically under-represented in the field. Evidence of the teaching shortage along with workable strategies are presented to help administrators both understand the current shortage and ways to medicate the lack of diversity in the K-12 teaching force.

Focusing on the Forgotten

Despite the increasing numbers of transfer students, particularly those transferring from two- to four-year institutions, campus programs and services continue to center on assisting first-year students who are entering higher education for the first time. This chapter brings transfer students, an often “forgotten” population, to light through the following: a review of the scholarship and research on community college transfer student transition and success, an examination of factors that affect that transition, and a description of innovative practices that respond to the need of this growing population. The information in this chapter can be used to develop campus programs and services to assist with the transfer student transition to four-year colleges and universities.

Experience as Textbook

This chapter explores how experiential learning opportunities, specifically service-learning, foster career exploration, development of transferable skills, and readiness for employment and/or higher education among community college students. By drawing upon experiences leading service-learning opportunities, career development, faculty partnerships, and leadership development at urban community colleges, the authors present an approach to community college education rooted in experiential learning. The chapter proposes the use of Usher, Bryant, and Johnston's model of learning from experience to develop students' vocational practices and help “learners become more empowered to respond to their changing vocational environments” (Merriam, Caffarella, & Baumgartner, 2007, p. 68). These impacts are illustrated through the programs and student voices of a community college recognized for its service-learning opportunities. Colleges and corporations share responsibility to prepare citizens (Holton, 1998). Community colleges must take the lead in developing these partnerships and designing learning environments that benefit students and community, in turn creating a next-generation workforce.

A Developmental and Holistic Approach to Learning and Meeting the Needs of the Workforce

This chapter examines the partnerships and holistic and developmental process of Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) for Higher Education in two community colleges. Innovative leadership practices and partnerships by administrators, faculty and staff to improve institution and workforce success are at the center of these two community college case studies. Real implementation challenges such as student persistence and participation, faculty buy-in, were faced. Supporting career and technology education plus new approaches in teaching were part of the paradigm shift that contributed to the overall success of students and faculty participating in AVID for Higher Education (AHE). The study uses the AHE framework as a system for community colleges to leverage rigor and skill development for a global workforce. This case study highlights the work to improve faculty pedagogy and engagement and support historically underrepresented students to continue the improvement of college completion, transition and be workforce ready.

Advisory Committees

The community college has transformed into a central hub in regional communities, serving a local workforce, economic development, business and industry, and the subsequent collaborative partnerships (Baber, 2011; Bray, 2011; Kress, 2012). Through a collaborative, proactive effort, business and industry are uniting with community colleges to provide and fund training opportunities to upgrade worker's skills, provide more efficient services, increase employment opportunities in local communities, reduce education program cost, and become business oriented as a community (Baber, 2011; Bray, 2011; Kress, 2012). To offset the expense associated with workforce education programs, colleges are collaborating with businesses and industries. Advisory committees serve as the heart of these partnerships, helping to combine resources, equipment, and knowledge in skilled areas (Greenstone & Looney, 2001; Holzer, 2008). In this chapter, the following issues related to community college advisory committees will be discussed: workforce programs, community college economics, vocational-technical education, current state of workforce and technical programs, statement of the problem, advisory committees, partnerships, program discussion, and future research direction.

Community Colleges and the Global Workforce

This chapter addresses the role and impact of community colleges on the pursuit of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and on the workforce. In order to understand the role of community colleges in STEM education and the related impact on the workforce, potential factors that may or may not contribute to the success of the implementation of new initiatives, programs, partnerships, and funding must be identified. In addition, the alignment needed between community colleges and workforce development programs in order to fulfill the demand of many STEM jobs across the nation must also be identified. Currently, community colleges are facing a number of challenges, and one of those is to become the main supplier of individuals with the right skills and training for the workforce to fulfill the needs of the community as well as different industries.

Meeting Them Where They Are

Correctional educational programs strive to enhance the type of prisoner returning to the community and reduce the chances they will return to their criminal activity and (as a result) return to prison. While some correctional facilities have school districts, some collaborate with community colleges to obtain educational services. In 2007, the United States Congress passed the Second Chance Act, which allotted funding to enhance the nation's educational system within its correctional facilities. The purpose of this chapter is to address a specific way community colleges serve students where they are. The authors address research pertaining to the role of education in an incarcerated student population's ability to be rehabilitated and reintegrated into society. Additionally, the authors share first-hand curricular and support challenges and innovative practices in preparing students behind bars for the workforce of the (in most cases) not so near future.