Supporting Community College Learners Online

Online enrollment at public two-year colleges has increased over the last decade and is expected to continue expanding in response to a changing labor market that requires frequent job changes and upskilling. Fully online courses and degree programs can provide accessible and flexible options for le...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Policy File 2020
Main Authors: Briggs, Amanda, Gebrekristos, Semhar, Spaulding, Shayne
Format: Report
Language:English
Subjects:
Education
Government
Information technology
Urban Institute
Online Access:Request full text
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Summary:Online enrollment at public two-year colleges has increased over the last decade and is expected to continue expanding in response to a changing labor market that requires frequent job changes and upskilling. Fully online courses and degree programs can provide accessible and flexible options for learners, but some studies have pointed to challenges with course completion for online students. Community colleges need to identify strategies for better supporting online learners to improve their educational and labor market outcomes. Based on interviews with research experts, college staff, and administrators and a review of the literature, this report features rich examples that describe how community colleges are supporting their online learners via academic and personal supports, engagement supports, and career-oriented supports, and explores the role of technology in providing these supports. It also elevates promising practices that can support online learners and explores five key knowledge gaps that need to be addressed to effectively support online community college students.