The Future of Naugatuck Valley Community College

Mardelin MartinezFuture Student Affairs Employee

Faas (2012)

History of NVCC Two year public college offering 100 associate degrees and credit

certificates…” to their “student population of more than 6,000” (CT Dept of Public Works, 2009) and servicing greater Waterbury, and opened a branch campus in Danbury.

Student population › Recent high school graduates; likely first generation college

students › between the ages of 17-24 majoring in General Studies › After graduation most students choose to transfer to a four

year university in the state of Connecticut (“Credit Student,” 2013).

In 1992, Mattatuck Community College, who enrolled their first students at Kennedy High in 1967, and Waterbury State Technical College merge together to form Naugatuck Valley Community-Technical College” which later they removed Technical from their name (“Campus Archives,” n.d).

Current State of NVCC In 2009, NVCC opened a new technology

building with “state-of-the-art teaching facilities for technical programs” (CT Dept of Public Works, 2009).› “‘smart’ classrooms, the latest in high-tech

facilities” that offers “engineering technology, horticulture and hospitality programs” (“College Facts,” 2014).

NVCC offers many online and hybrid courses for their distance learning students. › They have taken every step necessary to

ensure their college continues to grow and meet the demands of students.

Educational Technology Trends “Changes in pedagogical role and professional development

of teachers and other enablers of learning”(Becta, 2008, p. 21).› Technology gives instructors the means “to teach beyond traditional

classroom walls” (Harrington, 2010, p. 12). › Teachers who are reluctant to learn new technology, such as tablets,

will cause a disadvantage to the student. › “Technology is only as good as the humans that developed it…the

human brain is still better at critical thinking.. than any machine” and “Administrators must be careful not to give a greater priority to having technology than using it effectively” (Leer & Ivanov, 2013, p. 18).

Technology is a necessary addition to all classrooms. › Students and teachers must work together for successfully

implementation by acknowledging that technology is a helpful tool that provides an interactive experience.

› Teachers must also provide extra assistance to those students who are having difficulty so the students can take advantage of the benefits of technology.

Economic and Public Policy Trends

“Faltering funding for higher education” - “most states have been reducing their funding…and allowing intuitions to make up decreases by raising their tuition” (Dew, 2012, p. 7).

“College and university officials are now carefully reviewing the key provisions for higher education in the economic stimulus plan” and “’permanent cuts’ are becoming increasingly visible in the press relating to higher education operating budgets” (Betts, et al., 2009, p. 6).

States are in deficit but they need to reevaluate their budget and appropriate funds to education not take funds away.

Federal policies no longer place a priority on university research and graduate education” (Duderstadt, 2012, p. 581).

There are economic challenges and “states no longer are either capable of or willing to support public research universities at world-class levels (Duderstadt, 2012, p. 581).

Demographic Trends Wealth of Stealth – Trend nine “The widespread use

of data analytics in other industries is leading students to expect personalized and relevant communication” (“Ten trends,” 2013, p. 3).

“A key outcome of learning analytics pertains to the student on an individual level, and his or her path in higher education” [where] “academic advisors [have] a window into the experience of students, identifying both their strengths and areas of improvement” (Johnson, et. al., 2013, p. 24).

These resources would provide advisors and students with the opportunity to give and receive the personalized guidance they so deserve.

Techniques for a better NVCC Futuring

› NVCC has provided their students with opportunities to grow and become technologically advanced.

› Students are carrying around heavy textbooks whereas a tablet would contain the same information in one small object and make finding a certain topic that much easier instead of flipping through pages.

› Eventually NVCC will use a similar classroom as Santa Monica’s Glass Classroom. Tablets are just the beginning. (Johnston, 2012).

Scanning› Research highlights the importance of technology in the classroom

(Geist, 2011. Harrington, 2010. Hahn & Bussell, 2012. Leer & Ivano, 2013. Johnston, 2012).

› “Students want to do everything on their phone or pad devise rather than a laptop or desktop computer” (Geist, 2011, p. 767).

› “The expansion of educational technologies and the recognition of the importance of technological literacies have allowed instructors to teach beyond traditional classroom walls” (Harrington, 2010, p. 12)

› “Mobile technology is moving speedily forward whether teachers and university faculty like it or not” (Geist, 2011, p.767).

Scenario: 2019 – Tablets for all at NVCC

In 2019, NVCC will offer tablets with keyboards to all of their undergraduate students upon attending the college.

These tablets will be preloaded with apps based on the students major as well as “a campus map app, tools that could help them choose courses and a tool to track their grades” (Hahn & Bussell, 2012, p. 44).

The student will “rent” this tablet for the duration of their time at NVCC where they have the option to buy the tablet with all the information in it.

NVCC’s tablets will retain all of the saved information from all classes for the entire time attending NVCC.

Instructors and students will be required to take at least one course to learn to get the most out of the tablet.

Walsh (2012)

Why Technology and Tablets? As cited from Goode in 2010, “Technology in

many institutions of higher education has become a part of college life” (Leer & Ivanov, 2013, p.16). › People choose the college they will attend by

deciding what it can offer them. If technology is well advanced in a certain college, chances are they will go to that school over another.

Learning Analytics that “pertain to the student on an individual level” (Johnson, et. al., 2013, p.24) › The Glass Classroom - “Santa Monica College’s Glass

Classroom initiative [that] strives to enhance student and teacher performance through the collection and analysis of large amounts of data” (p. 26).

Five Scenario Opportunities• 1) Tablets will keep students engaged in the classroom because they will

be able to research questions the instructor may have right on the spot

• 2) Allow students to connect to the instructor to take quizzes and tests in class

• 3) Student will know from the first day where they are in their degree plan and what courses they need to take to stay on track.

• 4) Students will be able to purchase tablets with all of their saved information making it a valuable resource to transferring to a four-year university

• 5) NVCC can be the first in Connecticut to take it to the next level by using learning analytics which “pertain to the student on an individual level” (Johnson, et. al., 2013, p.24)

Five Scenario Challenges1) Finding the funds to purchase the tablets

2) Providing students with the appropriate major based apps if they change their major during their time at NVCC

3) Getting reluctant instructors to learn and use the new technology

4) Making sure students are using understanding the use of tablets during class

5) Keeping major based apps up-to-date throughout the student’s time at the college.

Preparing for Change

Create a test group of a specific major, like Psychology and offer preloaded tablets with major based information and provide that department with interactive

classrooms.

Create a curriculum for the training and required courses that students, instructors, and faculty will need to be able to fully understand and implement the new

technology

Find the software that will assist advisors to be able to recognize a student’s strength and weakness.

Research possible apps they may use for each major they have preloaded into the tablet.

Start to apply for grants to fund the tablets to all undergraduate students.

Call to Action NVCC will begin on the path toward

providing tablets and an interactive classroom to their students and instructors by creating a budget. › Including upgrading all classrooms › costs of tablets for a small test group.

This is an immediate step leaders can take toward the implementation of tablets. Creating the budget will allow NVCC to know how many can enroll in the test.

References Becta. (2008). Analysis of emerging trends affecting the use of

technology in education. Retrieved from http://www.becta.org.uk Betts, K., Hartman, K., & Oxholm, C. (2009). Re-examining &

repositioning higher education: Twenty economic and demographic factors driving online and blended program enrollments. [Article]. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 13(4), 3-23. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edo&AN=47390151&site=eds-live

Campus Archives. (n.d.). Naugatuck Valley Community College. Retrieved from http://www.nv.edu/Academics/Library/About-Your-Library/Archives

College Facts. (2014). Naugatuck Valley Community College. Retrieved from http://www.nv.edu/About-NVCC/College-Facts/itemId/65/College-Facts

Credit Student Profile: Fall 2013. (2013, September 30). Naugatuck Valley Community College: Office of Institutional Research. Retrieved from http://www.nv.edu/Portals/0/Documents/IR/Fall2013CreditStudentProfile.pdf

References CT Department of Public Works. (2009, October 14). New Technology Hall

at Naugatuck Valley Community College to be dedicated Friday. Retrieved from http://www.connecticutplus.com/cplus/information/news/News_1/New-Technology-Hall-at-Naugatuck-Valley-Community-College-to-be-dedicated-Friday63016301.shtml

Dew, J. R. (2012). The future of american higher education. World Future Review (World Future Society), 4(4), 7-13.

Duderstadt, J. J. (2012). The future of the university: a perspective from the oort cloud. Social Research, 79(3), 579-600. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=sih&AN=82829445&site=eds-live

Geist, E. (2011). The Game Changer: Using iPads in College Teacher Education Classes. College Student Journal, 45(4), 758-768.

Faas, R. (2012). iPad in education-classroom. Cult of Mac. [Picture]. Retrieved from http://www.cultofmac.com/186533/why-window-8-tablets-will-lose-to-the-ipad-in-education-feature/ipad-in-education-classroom-2/

Hahn, J., & Bussell, H. (2012). Curricular use of the iPad 2 by a first-year undergraduate Learning Community. Library Technology Reports, 48(8), 42-47.

Harrington, A. (2010). Adapting to fit the technology: problems and solutions for technology-based college classes. The Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin, 76(3), 12-19. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=49390928&site=eds-live

References Johnson, L., Adams Becker, S., Cummins, M., Estrada, V., Freeman, A.,

and Ludgate, H. (2013). NMC Horizon Report: 2013 Higher Education Edition. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium. Retrieved from http://www.nmc.org

Leer, R., & Ivanov, S. (2013). Rethinking the future of learning: the possibilities and limitations of technology in education in the 21st century. International Journal Organizational Innovation, 5(4), 14-20. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=90515709&site=ehost-live

Ten trends for 2013: How marketplace conditions will influence private higher education enrollment – and how colleges can respond. (2013). The Lawlor Group. 1-4. Retrieved from http://www.sumsem.com/testing/2013_trends.pdf

Walsh, K. (2012). Study Finds Benefits in Use of iPad as an Educational Tool. [Picture]. Retrieved from http://www.emergingedtech.com/2012/07/study-finds-benefits-in-use-of-ipad-as-educational-tool/

Wong, W. (2012). Tools of the trade: how mobile learning devices are changing the face of higher education. Community College Journal, 82(5), 54-61. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ970340&site=eds-live