The need for technological resources is on a steady rise. As the U.S. continues battling an ongoing spread of the coronavirus, Coahoma Community College aims to make strides toward preparing its students for COVID-era switch-ups.
According to a 2017 PearsonEd.com article, institutions of higher learning were, at that time, looking to make learning innovative by incorporating technology into coursework. The use of devices in the classroom was already becoming a norm among college students. However, going from the occasional assistance of a cell phone in the school setting to the absolute need for a laptop/desktop outside the classroom was quite the jump.
As CCC president Dr. Valmadge T. Towner stated in an address to personnel recently, several online classes and a combined instructional delivery method of face-to-face instruction and online activities are set for the upcoming fall semester. To aid students in transitioning to these means of learning more smoothly, Coahoma Community College is considering innovative ways to promote student success.
A newly approved CCC initiative financially backed by the U.S. Department of Education targets first-year students. Coahoma Community College has chosen to distribute fully-funded laptops to a cohort of first-time students. Margaret Dixon, the director of Institutional Effectiveness, is enthused to have these resources in place to provide significant support to new Tigers.
"Coahoma Community College is grateful for the U.S. Department of Education's commitment to helping us ensure our students are successful by providing funding to purchase these laptops for our first-time, full-time students," said Dixon. "This opportunity will really help our students get to the finish line amid COVID-19."
"The reason that first-time, full-time students are receiving laptops is to give them immediate accessibility and connectivity to your faculty and all student support services online. The goal is to increase the persistence rates for these students, especially during this most difficult time," she added. "Unlike most returning students who have had the opportunity to navigate the campus and learn where all of the resources for success are located, the first-time students' approach to these instructional and support services will be very different this term. Coahoma is trying to give these students a foundation to start their educational journey regardless of the current situation."
Only new Tigers enrolled as full-time students are eligible for the devices. First-time students who registered for Fall 2020 courses early are given priority, and recipients will be informed of the location and time to pick up their laptop via their student email.