As colleges attempt to increase engagement, career readiness, and create flexibility in schedules for students, new learning models are needed now more than ever. Studies suggest that many students are entering college and/or the workforce with less preparedness than ever before and without new learning models and frameworks, many students will miss out on college degrees. It is estimated that 29 million students will lose out on completing college due to obligations with work and family, or to socio-economic issues that make traditional programs unreasonable (SREB, 2018). By building out new forms of learning and allowing students to master the topics at hand, they will be allowed to control their own personalized education.
As colleges and universities try to adapt to a changing population of students, a population that contains full and part time employees, mothers, and fathers with children at home, and the traditional students (which can be made up of various other communities), new modes of engagement are required. While the number of students who work full-time has dropped from 40% in the late 1980's to 26% in 2012, 70% of full time students still hold jobs while in college (Amour, 2019). Attending traditional classes on a specific schedule has become a challenge to many individuals. Especially, lower income students who must work more hours per week to sustain themselves and their families.
More than 20% of students today come into college as a parent, which represents more challenges to the traditional education model and its scheduling of classes (Cruse, et al., 2020). Traditional learning models are not flexible by the nature of structured curriculum, but only altered when demands change. New learning models need to incorporate flexibility by design, intentionally affordable to more people, and personalized to fit the individual learner (Ark, 2014). With the move to remote teaching, flexibility is a key component of build classes that allow for different schedules and obligations.
Flexibility, affordability, and personalization are just part of a new learning model framework. New students need to be able to start at their convenience (flexibility), need to be able to afford the tuition and fees as well as be given credit for previous learning experiences (affordability), and offer various methods of advancement including evening classes, weekend classes, and real time support (personalization) for working adults (Ark, 2014). As an institution, we need to recognize the changing demands for classes, different schedules, and allow for students to be self paced within those classes. New Learning Models will differ from traditional models by allowing for self-paced learning; for example, using Mastery Paths built into Learning Management Systems to open up content based on previous knowledge. They will need to foster a sense of connectedness and awareness for students that come from all areas of the globe.
With these considerations made, college becomes attainable for traditional and non-traditional students alike. These changes need to be implemented in the design phase of instruction with technology being integrated as early as possible. The goal of new learning models is to increase retention and success rates for current students as well as those non-traditional students with some college but have not earned a degree (SREB, 2018). As an instructor, I need to be more aware of the various backgrounds that students bring to my classes which will allow me to build more adaptable courses.
Future Reference: https://www.teachtci.com/blog/types-of-blended-learning-models/
Works Cited:
Ark, T. V. (2014, December 19). Next gen higher ed: Blended, personalized & competency-based. Getting Smart. Retrieved September 3, 2022, from https://www.gettingsmart.com/2014/12/19/next-gen-higher-ed-blended-personalized-competency-based/
Cruse, L. R., Holtzman, T., Gault, B., Croom, D., & Polk, P. (2020, September 11). Parents in college by the numbers. IWPR.org. Retrieved September 3, 2022, from https://iwpr.org/iwpr-issues/student-parent-success-initiative/parents-in-college-by-the-numbers/#:~:text=More%20than%20one%20in%20five,National%20Postsecondary%20Student%20Aid%20Study.
Southern Regional Education Board. February 2018. 10 Issues in Educational Technology.
St. Amour, M. (2019, November 18). Most college students work, and that's both good and bad. Retrieved September 3, 2022, from https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/11/18/most-college-students-work-and-thats-both-good-and-bad#:~:text=The%20Georgetown%20report%20found%20that,time%20college%20students%20are%20working.
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