ERIC Number: EJ1248710
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020
Pages: 6
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1067-1803
EISSN: N/A
Looking in a Crystal Ball
Pierce, Dennis
Community College Journal, v90 n4 p11-16 Feb-Mar 2020
Fueled by exponential advances in technology, the world will change more in the next few decades than in all of human history, futurist Thomas Frey says. Community college leaders will have to think beyond traditional structures such as semester-length courses and two-year degree programs, designing micro-learning experiences that better match learners' needs. If they don't, their institutions might not survive. By the year 2030, "over half of traditional colleges will have collapsed," Frey predicts. Fortunately, community colleges are well-positioned to succeed in an uncertain future: They already have extensive experience in innovating and quickly designing new programs to meet emerging workforce demands. This article highlights the belief of Frey and other experts that if community colleges are to thrive over the next decade and beyond, their leaders must create highly personalized experiences that meet the community's needs. They should be willing to reinvent traditional educational structures to better serve their communities. And, they should look for opportunities to stand out by teaching essential skills that are currently overlooked.
Descriptors: Community Colleges, College Role, Educational Needs, Educational Change, Lifelong Learning, Nontraditional Students, Educational Innovation, Artificial Intelligence, Educational Technology, Skill Development, Job Skills
American Association of Community Colleges. One Dupont Circle NW Suite 410, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 202-728-0200; Fax: 202-833-2467; Web site: https://www.aacc.nche.edu/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Two Year Colleges
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Minnesota; California
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A