Higher Education
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.
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
campuses to better incorporate the
expanding technologies available to
them for learning.
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.
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.
HAMPTON
❘
FALL 2018
21