In the United States, educational achievement gaps are real, and the recent pandemic has only exacerbated those gaps.
Underlying causes for achievement gaps are well-documented and complex. Sadly, educational gaps, in turn, lead to opportunity gaps, and such gaps do not tend to close quickly or naturally. Even if individual students trapped in these systems are bright, talented, resilient, and excessively hard-working, the very nature of the gap means that they will not always have access to the tools required to see real and lasting change in their situations.
According to a US Chamber of Commerce report, a shortage of qualified workers is the most critical and widespread challenge to US businesses as they ramp up to meet growing consumer demand. According to the Public Policy Institute of California, California will be one million degree holders short of economic opportunity by 2030. Meanwhile, college enrollment has not returned to pre-pandemic levels.
The convergence of these events paints a bleak picture of ever ending the educational and opportunity gaps dilemma. However, the foundation of addressing these challenges resides in the presence of accessible and flexible educational pathways to upskill, reskill, and attain credentials and degrees.
If an equitable and inclusive recovery post-pandemic is to be realized, pathways to degree and credential attainment must be flexible, affordable and accessible for the underserved talent pool of adult learners. This will in turn allow employers to identify new sources of talent.
One of the most effective means of widening the talent pool to meet the changing market demands is through online competency-based learning which removes significant barriers for adult learners including employment, family obligations and finances.
By now, most institutions offer a blend of online and in-person courses. Students of all varieties and backgrounds have leveraged this flexibility, and over the last few years, the number of students taking at least one course online has continued to rise.
Recent data show more students studying online than ever.
This includes all types of institutions and all levels of post-high school learning:
• Nearly 34% of all undergraduates and 40% of all graduate students take classes online.
•Moreover, between 2016 and 2018,
students taking at least one online course grew by over 3%.
Though students of all backgrounds can benefit from online coursework, this educational development has been especially helpful in closing education gaps for adult learners. Competency learning allows these students to advance as soon as they demonstrate the competencies of that course.
One of the main advantages of online education is its accessibility. Since materials and coursework can be accessed online, students are allowed considerable flexibility. Not only can they “attend” classes virtually whenever they like, but they can do so from any place with internet access. Moreover, they can do so without having to quit their jobs and eliminating critical financial support for their family.
That means location and demographics are less of a hindrance to getting a good education. If students cannot live on campus (or even near enough to commute), they can still attend classes from wherever they are.
Online courses are often more affordable as well. For example, tuition for online courses tends to be lower than traditional, in-person lectures; and students save time and money by not having to commute to campus.
Embracing and accepting new and innovative pathways to credential and degree attainment, while disruptive, can help organizations invent new models of talent recruitment and retention. Traditional higher education Institutions have always played an integral role in developing workforce and talent pipelines and will continue do so. However, over time, the traditional pathway to degreed certification has become restricted to those with the financial resources and an abundance of time. If we are to rely solely on this model for workforce development, we run the risk of limiting sources of talent. The online competency-based education model removes barriers to higher education and expands access to all. By default, the competency-based model catalyzes bringing a more diverse pool to the workforce conversation at scale.
While an online education alone cannot bridge deep and centuries-long educational inequities, it is one way to make a fairer and more equitable future possible for all students.
Information for this article was provided by Western Governors University. Learn more at wgu.edu.
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