ERIC Number: ED459881
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 2001
Pages: 34
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
A Brief History of Community Colleges and a Personal View of Some Issues (Open Admissions, Occupational Training and Leadership).
Geller, Harold A.
This paper reflects on the history of the community college in the United States. The author cites Tillery and Deegan, who refer to five generations of the American community college. The first generation, from 1900-1930, is characterized as being an extension of secondary school. The second generation, from 1930-1950, is characterized as the junior college generation. The third generation, from 1950-1970, is referred to as the community college generation. The fourth generation, from 1970-1985, is called the comprehensive community college generation. Finally, the fifth generation, which Tillery and Deegan do not name, refers to the period from 1985-1999. The author of this paper suggests that the sixth generation might be called (after Terry O'Banion) the learning community college generation. The paper cites O'Banion's six key principles of the learning community college: (1) creating substantive change in individual learners; (2) engaging learners as full partners in the learning process; (3) creating and offering as many options for learning as possible; (4) assisting learners in forming and participating in collaborative learning projects; (5) defining the roles of learning facilitators by the needs of the learners; and (6) documenting improved and expanded learning for its learners, the only way the learning college and its facilitators succeed. (Contains 46 references.) (NB)
Publication Type: Historical Materials; Opinion Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: George Mason Univ., Fairfax, VA.
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A