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A Case for Increased Online Higher Education in California

Introduction
Higher education is the ultimate goal for the parents and students in providing them with
opportunities for entry into careers of their choice. The increase in enrolment and graduands in
2018 illustrates the progressive growth of providing a skilled workforce to the United States
market (Busteed,2019). However, an increase in tuition fees, student debt, and living expenses,
specifically in private universities and colleges, has led to a shift in enrollment from brick and
mortar to online classes (Baldassare et al., 2013). Online education allows students to engage in
social and family responsibilities while still pursuing their education. The market currently is
focused on skills instead of degrees, which has created an impetus for students to enroll in free
online courses offered within a short period (Busteed,2019). Community colleges in California
have adopted the online model of learning for specific programs. The challenge facing this
platform of learning is the lack of acceptability by older members of faculty who constitute a
more significant percentage of instructors (de Los Santos & Zanca, 2018).
Similarly, the costs of the learning technology such as software, training of tutors and
students are yet to be correctly estimated in comparison to the traditional module of learning
(Baldassare et al., 2013). It is equally challenging to maintain the integrity of examinations
conducted through online platforms, and there is also a possibility that the students do not engage
fully in the discussion boards and chat rooms, which affect the learning outcomes (Baldassare et
al., 2013). This essay will discuss the trends of online learning in California, trends, and
recommendations to further the outcomes of the educational model.
Online learning trends in California
The community colleges in California are known to offer a higher number of credit
courses as compared to other public institutions of higher learning in the United States. In the
year, 2012, online enrollment in community colleges reached up to one million students
representing 11 percent of the total number of registered students for higher education in the
country (Baldassare et al., 2013). The enrolment of students on online courses has increased
steadily over the past ten years. One in every twelve students taking credit courses was enrolled
in at least one online course (Baldassare et al., 2013). This implies that online learning has

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increased access to higher education for all ethnic groups. In 2017, the number of students who
enrolled exclusively on the online platform increased to 15.4 percent. Further, the number of
part-time students was 17.6 percent (Maghsoodnia,2018). The number of those who took at least
one course online rose to 33.1 percent, a 2 percent increase from 2016, as shown in Table 1
(Maghsoodnia,2018). The decline in the number of students for financial aid by 0.44 percent was
attributed to improved economic conditions that led the adult population to choose employment
over pursing education (Maghsoodnia,2018).
Conversely, the examination of student outcomes reveals that short term results are poor
while long term outcomes are commendable (Baldassare et al., 2013). The credit scores of online
students are low upon examination of courses one by one as compared to traditional courses
(Busteed,2019). Similarly, students are not likely to complete an online course as compared to a
conventional class. The reduced success rates of courses taken by online students could be
attributed to less time allocated to studies and commitment to other duties such as work and
family (Baldassare et al., 2013). The gaps across racial groups are more pronounced in online
platforms as compared to conventional brick and mortar institutions.

  2016

% of
2016
Total

2017

% of
2017
Total
% Change,
2016-17

All Students 20,224,069   20,135,159   -0.44%
Enrolled Exclusively Online 2,974,836 14.71% 3,104,879 15.42% 4.19%
Enrolled in Some Online
Courses 3,325,750 16.44% 3,552,581 17.64% 6.38%

Enrolled in No Online
Courses 13,923,483 68.85% 13,477,699 66.94% -3.31%

Table 1: Student Enrollments in 2016 and 2017
Source: Maghsoodnia, (2018)
Strategic analysis for online higher education in California
Strengths
There is an increase in the level of success of students in an online learning platform. The
Universities within the state have high rates of persistence for both online part-time and fulltime
students (Maghsoodnia, 2018). Many efforts have been put in place to retain students in their
online classrooms through constant follow-up and scholarships (Maghsoodnia, 2018). California
universities have established a ‘starfish system that is used to identify high-risk students and
those who need support (de Los Santos & Zanca, 2018). The student portal designed by the

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universities and colleges has ensured that essential information is provided with a friendly user
interface. Similarly, the Association of Independent Californian Colleges and Universities
(AICCU) has ensured that all institutions have an education plan for new students. The case
management advisory model assigns each degree-seeking student with a mentor to guide them
on career paths (King and Garland,2016). The institutions also focus on diversity and inclusion
through the hiring of diverse employees and enrollment of diverse body of students. The cultural
values within the institution are upheld and reviewed every three years to get an update of hiring
and feedback practices that support diversity and inclusion (King and Garland,2016). AICCU has
also enhanced institutional transparency in terms of budgeting, accountability metrics, and clean
auditing reports. The budgeting and tendering process in the institutions is public, which shows
accountability to the diverse community.
Weaknesses
There have been achievement gaps among several groups despite efforts to support
student success and improve their placement methods. These efforts have yielded fruits with
Hispanic students across the state, while others have continuously underperformed in terms of
credit scores. Gaps to reduce performance based on age, class, and race have been done through
the provision of equal opportunities for all students (Earl-Novell,2012). The level of student
engagement in the online platform is low, which has affected their retention and completion of
the online classes. The employees in various institutions such as Harper College have raised
concerns on their working environment interns of the structure of the institutions,
communication channels and efficacy feelings (King and Garland,2016) Higher levels of cultural
entropy have led to decline in the level of cohesion and trust in the workplace. This can lead to
unrest and high employee turnover due to low levels of satisfaction. The racial and ethnic
diversity within institutions in California does not represent the community it serves. For
example, Harper college has been tasked to hire a representative workforce within the college,
failure to which it will affect the outcome of students and the working environment (King and
Garland,2016).
Opportunities
The institutions have an opportunity to offer an alternative method of scoring and content
delivery. The universities and colleges can give credit from scores transferred in a previous post-

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secondary institution (de Los Santos & Zanca, 2018). The alternative means of scoring reduces
the costs and time spent in obtaining credentials that a student requires to reach their goals. This
has been supported by the current rates of unemployment and rising cases of student debt, which
saves the cost of tuition and living expenses. The current changes in the districts of host
institutions and student demographics provide an opportunity for colleges and universities to
address the needs of the community (de Los Santos & Zanca, 2018). Diversity in the learning
institutions will bring on board robust students and faculty that will have a positive impact on
student outcomes. For example, the state population is made of 34 percent of non-white
individuals, some of whom are immigrants or coming from other states within the country (Earl-
Novell,2012). There is also an opportunity for institutions to partner with other educational
institutions and businesses. This will provide relevant opportunities for students to gain
internships and meet the needs of the community. The institutions of higher learning, therefore,
become leaders in community college education. Further partnerships with the business
community help in designing comprehensible education and career systems for both the faculty
and students.
Threats
The institutions face a lot of challenges in funding. There has been a recent reparation in
state funding for higher education in addition to changes in federal laws that have increased the
financial burden of the institutions and the students (Bohn, Belinda & Hans, 2013). There have
been numerous appropriations of the state and taxes on property that have forced institutions to
find alternative sources of revenue from tuition and student fees. There has been a steady growth
of student population since the middle of 1970, yet the fiscal investment in higher education has
been declining since 1980 (Bohn et al., 2013). This has greatly led to an increase in student debts
and financial burden to the parents. Further, higher education is in a competitive market. Hence
the institutions within California have to provide a quality education that meets the needs of
students and employers (de Los Santos & Zanca, 2018). Similarly, there has also been
competition with brick and mortar institutions in and out of the state who offer similar courses
with increased contact hours with the faculty on one on one basis. The uncertainty of higher
education has been proliferated by policies such as ‘Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals’ and
the ‘Dream Act’ (de Los Santos & Zanca,2018). This has led to changes in the perception of
higher education in terms of its requirement for employment (Bennell & Pierce, 2003). The

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rising cost of fees and an increase in student debt has undermined the perception that a degree is
a good investment.
Recommendations
Community colleges should develop a learning management system that can be
incorporated into online learning to create an environment for interaction among students,
faculty, and learning resources (Tyrell,2014). For example, a standardized learning management
system can collect data from all online institutions with in the state and distribute them to the
faculty members and students to improve pedagogy. The colleges will then be able to target their
limited finances towards strategies that improve completion of courses and professional
development of faculty. Further, proper strategic planning will ensure that the online learning
platform is effective for students (Tyrell,2014). Despite the current ad hoc management that
develops course material based on the faculty and interest, several improvements can be made
for the platform to meet the gaps of traditional courses that link students to employment
(Tyrell,2014). Policies on strategic education approaches should be put in place such that online
courses earned in a community college are recognized in another area.
Conclusion
There has been steady progress in online learning in community colleges of California,
which is attributed to the ability and willingness of institutions to adopt robust technologies that
meet the needs of the students. Online learning provides students with greater control over their
knowledge since they work at their own pace. At the same time, the students can also engage in
various multimedia content to access referencing material. The students also have greater access
to faculty and other classmates through chat rooms. There is little interference from the external
environment that can affect scheduling, and hence there is a higher retention rate of students. The
platform also provides frequent assessments with better academic tracking, which allows the
instructors to intervene in dire circumstances. The platform has its share of challenges, as seen in
the SWOT analysis. Learners in the online platform quickly drop off from classes as compared to
those taking traditional courses. Similarly, not all members of the faculty, such as the older
members, are well conversant with technology and mode of training in online platforms. This
means that online platforms can train the members of faculty on the manipulation of technology

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to improve the user interface. Similarly, the institutions can embrace diversity in their online
classes to enhance positive student and faculty outcomes.

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References

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Education to Developing and Transitional Economies,” International Journal of
Educational Development, Vol. 23, Amsterdam, pp. 215-232.
Bohn, S., Belinda R. & Hans, J. (2013). Impact of Budget Cuts on California’s Community
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Maghsoodnia, M. (2018, November 7). New data: Online enrollments grow, and share of overall
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