Student-Centered Education for a Diverse 21st Century Population - Higher Education: The population of the U.S. is increasingly diverse, a trend mirrored in the college student population. Education that keeps the student at the center is the expectation of students and their families. Ideally, this student-centered approach would include: affordable tuition; small class sizes; personalized attention; individualized instruction that meets students where they are; diversity experiences that build cultural competence; contextualized learning that increases relevance; internship and immersive learning experiences that allow students to develop both skills and knowledge; and support to transition to their next phase.
Community colleges are best equipped to provide an educational experience that meets such high expectations. And, considering the fact that almost half of all students in the U.S. who are enrolled in a crowded higher education landscape are enrolled at community colleges, a diverse segment of students already have discovered the benefits engrained within this learning environment.
