| Title: |
Learning from the COVID-19 Pandemic: Improving Academic Continuity in Workforce Development Programs |
| Language: |
English |
| Authors: |
Katie Shakour; Tim Ransom; Eliza Gallagher; Karen Johnson; Rebecca Short; Jonathan Beck; Kapil Chalil Madathil |
| Source: |
New Directions for Community Colleges. 2024 (205):143-151. |
| Availability: |
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us |
| Peer Reviewed: |
Y |
| Page Count: |
9 |
| Publication Date: |
2024 |
| Sponsoring Agency: |
National Science Foundation (NSF) |
| Contract Number: |
2037809 |
| Document Type: |
Journal Articles; Reports - Research |
| Education Level: |
Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Two Year Colleges |
| Descriptors: |
COVID-19; Pandemics; Labor Force Development; Education Work Relationship; Community Colleges; Experiential Learning; Degree Requirements; Aviation Education; Aviation Mechanics; Aviation Technology; Administrators; College Students; College Faculty; Developmental Continuity; School Closing; Electronic Learning; Influence of Technology |
| DOI: |
10.1002/cc.20619 |
| ISSN: |
0194-3081; 1536-0733 |
| Abstract: |
The COVID-19 pandemic caused an abrupt change in educational programs worldwide, including workforce development education in community colleges. Given the hands-on requirements of these programs, considerations for changes included if and how instructors and students could maintain academic continuity during the pandemic. This article focuses on aviation maintenance technology schools (AMTS) as a case study to understand how programs that rely heavily on hands-on learning responded to COVID-19 significant disruption to education. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) must approve educational training for aviation maintenance careers, and the FAA requires specific hands-on activities in the curriculum. Of the 182 AMTS in the United States, 143 are located within community colleges. We conducted 43 interviews with AMTS students, administrators, and instructors from 18 different community colleges. Following content analysis of the interviews, the authors identified six findings related to how these programs responded to the pandemic, with special attention to maintaining academic stability. The article advocates for integrating digital learning tools (DLT) to create resilient educational programs when disruptions occur. These tools allow for students to continue to asynchronously practice the procedures and familiarize themselves with the materials needed for projects, provide students immediate feedback on their learning, and save schools money on expensive resources when students require extra practice on certain skills and processes. The application of these tools is relevant beyond the pandemic, helping students in many scenarios succeed in the face of natural disasters, family obligations, and the need for extra learning resources. |
| Abstractor: |
As Provided |
| Entry Date: |
2024 |
| Accession Number: |
EJ1416933 |
| Database: |
ERIC |