Empowering all women state legislators to effect sound policy

How Technology Can Improve Community Colleges

Over the years the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has invested billions of dollars into improving this country’s education system. Last week the Foundation announced an additional investment of $12.9 million in the form of technology grants, to expand the scope and effectiveness of learning in America’s community colleges.

Infusing technology with curriculum is not a new concept, however in the past these new resources have only been used as an “add on” to the traditional curriculum. The goal of this grant program will be to strengthen the system through improved teaching and learning, more flexible and engaging delivery options and increased data transparency.

The foundation is aiming to move the involvement of technology past the traditional on-line course. Recipients of the grants will be able to collaborate with community college teachers from across the country to develop virtual learning environments that will accelerate students’ academic progress. Developing new social media to connect professors and establishing free online learning laboratories for students are just a few examples of the possibilities that are expected to be achieved through these technology grants.

Hilary Pennington, Director of Education, Postsecondary Success and Special Initiatives for the Gates Foundation said that “The power of technology is its ability to connect people, foster collaboration, empower learners and teachers, and challenge the status quo.” Pennington’s goal is that the emerging technologies that receive these funds will eventually change the community college landscape for the better – for all students.

Since the year 2000 the Gates Foundation has invested $4 billion in grants and scholarships to improve opportunity in the U.S. by improving schools, raising college-ready graduation rates and increasing college completion rates. These technology grants are the latest efforts of the Foundation to once again make America the leader in education.

To learn more about the Gates Foundation Community College Technology Grants click here.

Facts & Statistics

The U.S. must produce 64 million degrees between 2005 and 2025 to remain competitive with leading nations and meet labor force needs. At the current degree-awarding rate, a gap of 16 million degrees is anticipated.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that between 2004 and 2014, 24 of the 30 fastest-growing occupations in the U.S. will be filled by people who have a postsecondary education or training credentials…and trends in the workplace suggest that employers’ demand for skilled U.S. workers will continue to grow over time.
In the U.S., more than 59 million people, or 30 percent of the adult population, are untouched by postsecondary education. In 35 states, more then 60 percent of the population does not have an associate's degree or higher.
Between 2005 and 2025, one-third of states are projected to experience no growth or a decline in the number of adults ages 25-44, which increases pressure on these states to increase college participation and completion among other segments of the population.
Tuition is not the biggest expense for working adults seeking postsecondary credentials; the biggest expense is living expenses for themselves, and often their families, while they are in school.
Median earnings for those with some college, but no degree were 18 percent higher than those for high school graduates, and adults with associate degrees earned 29 percent more than high school graduates.
Non-traditional students – for example, those who have delayed enrollment in postsecondary education, work full-time while enrolled, or have dependents other than a spouse – are more likely than traditional students to participate in distance education and to be in programs available entirely through distance education.

How Technology Can Improve Community Colleges

Facts & Statistics

Subscribe to Our E-Newsletter