Education Special Section
Higher Education campuses to better incorporate the expanding technologies available to
them for learning.
The U.S. offers a diverse array of options for students interested
in higher education. From specialized discipline areas to on-the-
job employee training, many of these institutions aren’t as easily
available to students in other countries. Community colleges
offer two-year associate degree programs that offer occupation
skills training to prepare students for employment, while private
and public colleges offer focused coursework in arts, humanities,
business, education, and almost any area of focus that may exist.
Students are now asking much more from their higher education
institutions, and those institutions are answering the call. As the
cost of attending school sees no sign of diminishing in the near
future, students—both traditional and non-traditional—have
high expectations for where their money is being spent. ONLINE LEARNING
According to the U.S. Department of Education and the National
Center for Education Statistics, 27.7 percent of all undergrads and
32.7 percent of all graduate students complete at least some portion
of their courses on an online platform. Institutions are investing in
online learning as a way to make learning more attainable for all types
of students. Specialized degrees are being offered in hundreds of areas
such as marketing and real estate instead of simply going for business
administration. Students who see a clear path to their career are opting
for these types of degrees to work directly toward their future.
RESTRUCTURING
Colleges and universities are looking to new ways of educating
their students to not only better prepare them for their future,
but to afford them the opportunity to learn and grow with the
advanced, ever-changing technologies accessible to them. Colleges
and universities across the nation look for ways to keep tuition
costs low but expand their reach to students looking to further
their education. Digital learning has proven to be one way to do
so, providing educators with the tools necessary to reach students
wherever they may be in the world. For students wanting to stay
on campus for their learning, institutions are revamping their
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CAMPUS CHANGES
The integration of technology across college campuses has forced
institutions to rethink the architecture of their classrooms. There was
once a time, not so long ago, that libraries had to clear out space to
add computer labs, printers and scanners. Now, smart classrooms are
connecting technologies through IoT, and active-learning classrooms
are allowing students to engage in collaborative reflection sitting
around tables of laptops, cameras and shared displays. In addition to
increased capabilities for hardware, there is also a demand for quality
IT networks with increased bandwidth. According to a 2017 study by
the Center for Digital Education, 43 percent of institutions adopting
technologies are doing it as a driver for student retention. In addition,
38 percent of institutions listed improved student learning outcomes as
a top driver for implementation of campus technologies. ■