Dr. Aims Mcguinness - Defining the Need for Community College Services; Lessons from the US and other countries

8/8/2019 Dr. Aims Mcguinness - Defining the Need for Community College Services; Lessons from the US and other countries.

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Defining the Need for

Community College Services:

Lessons from the U.S. andOther Countries ?

Aims McGuinness

National Center for Higher Education ManagementSystems, Boulder, Colorado, USA

Cartagena, Colombia -- December 1, 2010


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My Perspective

Focus Primarily on State Policy andHigher Education in the US

Emphasis: Linking Higher Education to

State and Regional Strategies to: Increase Education Attainment

Increase Participation

Improve Quality of Life and Economy

Increase State and Regional Competitive

Position in Global Economy


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3

Perspective

Also Involved in International Projectsthrough:

Organisation for Economic Cooperation

and Development (OECD): Project onHigher Education and Cities and Regions

World Bank


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4

Common Themes in Debates About

Need for Community Colleges

National and Regional Leaders Recognize

that Educational Attainment is Highly

Correlated with Economic

Competitiveness

Increasing Percentage of Population

Completing Secondary Education

Employer Demand for TechnicallyCompetent Workforce


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Themes (Continued)

Need for Re-Training, Up-skilling ofAdults

Inflexibility of Traditional Universities in

Responding to Regional Needs Severe Fiscal ConstraintsEconomic

Crisis


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Lessons from Experience

Danger of Application of ExportingModels from One Country to Another

Therefore, Important to Begin With

Analysis of: Data on Population (Age, Gender,

Income, Education Attainment)

Economy

Unique History/Culture

Unique Policy Context

Unique Education System


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Basic Question:

Is the Model of a Community College

Relevant to the Unique Needs of theColombia?


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Community Colleges


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Community College Mission

Overall:

Uplifting the Education Attainment,

Quality of Life and Economy of a Defined

Community/Region

Open Access and Focus on Student Goal

Attainment: Assisting Students Meet

Learning/Employment Goals

Primarily Less Than Baccalaureate(Certificate and Associate Degree)


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Mission (Continued)

Key Characteristics:

Low Price (Tuition and Fees)

Low Cost (Efficient Program/Service

Delivery

Flexibility and Responsiveness to

Student and Client (Employer) Needs

Time and Place of Delivery

Pedagogy (e.g., Adult Learners)

Employers (e.g., Customized and at

Worksite)


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Community College Services

Important to Understand How Programsand Services Differ According to the

Students or Clients Served by Colleges

Colleges Differ Depending on Local orRegional Needs


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Community College Services and

Client Groups

Services

Primary Client Groups

In-School

Youth

(Secondary

Educa-

tion

Level)

Recent Secon-

dary

School

Graduat

es

Adults Employers (Adults

in

Workplace)

Remedial/Developmental

Education

Adult Literacy

X X X X

General Education X X X X

Transfer Preparation X X X

Career Preparation X X X X

Workforce Development X X X

Community Service X X X

Serving as Delivery Site for

Other

Providers/Services

X X X X


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Community College Systems in U.S.

Most Community College SystemsDeveloped in the 1960s and 1970s

However, Several States Established

Systems only in Past 15 to 20 Years Arkansas Community Colleges (1991-

1995)

Indiana IV Tech CC System (2006)

Kentucky Community and Technical

College System (1997)

Louisiana Community and Technical

College System (1998)


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Characteristics of States with

New Systems

Higher Education Dominated by

Universities

Traditional Vocational/Technical Schools

Low Participation Rates in Higher

Education

Low Understanding by Parents and

Students of Community College Mission


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Common Obstacles to

Establishment of New Systems

Strong Cultural Orientation Toward

University: Students and Parents

Continuing Demand from Labor Market

for Low-Skill/Low-Wage Workforce

Political Opposition from Universities to

New (Competing) Sector

Lack of Policies forFinancing and

Governance to Support Community

College Mission


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Getting Started

Defining Needs for Community College

Services in Each Region


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Defining Needs (Continued)

Educational Participation: What Percentage of the Population is

Participating?

What Proportion of Each Cohort Moves to

Next Level?

Pre-School

Primary/Basic

Secondary (General and Vocational)

Postsecondary

How Does Regional Performance

Compare to National and International

Benchmarks?


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What Are Existing Modes of Provision orServices Related to Needs in Each

Region?

Existing Postsecondary Institutions?

State/Public

Private

Secondary Schools?

Labor/Workforce Development Agencies?

Social Service Agencies/NGOs?

Local/Regional Governments?


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What Are Gaps in Services?

Specific Programs/Services (e.g., Adult

Literacy, Career-Technical Preparation in

Specific Occupations)

Accessibility in Terms of:

Price (Cost to Student)?

Geography/Transportation,

Relevance/Pedagogy?

Summarize Assessment ofNeeds and

Gaps in Provision


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Barriers to Narrowing Gap Between

Needs and Current Provision

Governance (Legal Framework)?

Finance?

Governmental Non-Governmental (NGO)

Students

Employers


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Barriers (Continued)

Barriers?

Regulation

Cultural, Political

Opposition of Competing Providers


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Strategies

Key Elements ofNational Strategy to

Increase Global Competitiveness.

Raising Education Attainment

Youth

Women/Mothers

Adult Literacy

Increasing and Narrow Disparities in

Educational Participation

Workforce Development

Regional Economic Renewal


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Strategies (Continued)

Establish Legal Framework

National/Regional Leadership

Responsibility?

Ensure Some Mission Separation FromUniversity-Level Education

Links with Labor/Workforce Development

Horizontal Relations with Employers,

Regional Authorities/Economies


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Establish Basic Mission and Purposes

Functions

Levels of Educational Services

Modes of Provision

Relationship to and Differentiation from

Universities


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Identify Existing or PotentialPartnerships/Alliances

Partnership/Sponsorships with Existing

Universities

Other Providers (in Region, in Colombia,

LAC, Global?

Secondary Education?

Labor/Workforce Development Agencies?

NGOs?


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Establish Basic Framework for QualityAssurance

Basic/Minimal Requirements for

Provision at Postsecondary Level

(Probably Already in Place)

Distinctive Quality Requirements for

Community/Technical Institutions:

Student Learning/Progression to Goals

Meeting Specific Occupational

Certification Requirements


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Define the Step-by-Step Process andRequirements for Establishing a New

Institution. Options:

New Institution?

Pilot Projects?

New Entity Authorized to Provide

Services in Partnership with Existing

Institutions?

Establish Process and Criteria for

Evaluation


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Common Issues

Mission Draft to University Status;Pressure of Ranking

Increasing Rigidity of Colleges in

Responding toN

eeds of: Employers

Adults

Part-Time Learners

Severe Fiscal Constraints and Increasing

Competition for Fee-Paying Students


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Conclusion

Keys to Developing Community CollegeSystems

Define the Unique Needs of the Country

and Each of Its Regions

Shape the Specific Programs/Services

That Match the Unique Circumstances of

each Region:

Needs

History/Culture

Governmental/Legal Structure


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Conclusion (Continued)

Recognize that the Needs of Each RegionAre Different

Adopt the Community College Model to

These UniqueN

eeds and Culture of theCountry

Put in Place the Legal and Financing

Framework to Sustain the Model in Face

of Pressures for Mission-Drift

Documents

Dr. Aims Mcguinness - Defining the Need for Community College Services; Lessons from the US and other countries