Getting Smart, a group that promotes innovative solutions in education, recently featured an infographic on today’s online learners.  The infographic compares online students with their traditional peers, and highlights factors such as retention rates, degree selection, and career outcomes for those who pursue their degree online. Some interesting points from the infographic include:

• About 30% of all higher education students take at least one class online.
• The demand for online courses exceeds demand for traditional courses across all institution types.
• Academic leaders increasingly view online education as good as or better than face-to-face instruction.
• Nearly 80% of study participants said they had hired an applicant with online degree qualifications in the past year.

In a recent article in CampusTechnology magazine, for-profit colleges are praised for their advanced use of technology.  The article’s author, John K. Waters, even argues that traditional non-profit colleges could learn a thing or two from their for-profit counterparts when it comes to IT, especially when it comes to integrating student feedback through technological improvements. Since career colleges cater to non-traditional students, including many who take most (if not all) of their courses online, embracing today’s “on-demand” digital culture is essential.

We have written elsewhere about today’s generation of connected learners, who demand that developments such as social and mobile technologies be integrated into their educational plan.  This is especially relevant to career colleges, who must constantly adopt the newest, most useful technologies for continuous engagement, particularly because their students may be working or raising a family outside of their coursework. According to the article, when it comes to IT, for-profit schools tend to have the edge for these reasons:

We often tell you about our product innovations, and uses, but we know what really hits home for a deeper understanding of our solutions is to demonstrate how our clients put Blackboard into action.  That’s why we’re so excited about our latest case study that features the success of the private college Center for Advanced Legal Studies, a school that focuses exclusively in paralegal education. The Center uses Blackboard Learn ™ to connect to more students in more places, boost student and faculty engagement, and increase access to educational offerings.  But one of the unexpected benefits of Blackboard that Tthe Center enjoys is that of accessibility for people with disabilities. Did you know that Blackboard Learn 9.1…

The British Columbia Career Colleges Association (BCCCA) is hosting its annual conference from October 27th-29th, and Blackboard’s own Tim Naylor will be presenting!  The conference will feature representatives from over 70 of the most successful and dynamic private colleges in British Columbia, as well as stakeholders from government and industry.

When Hazel Matthews joined the Sullivan University team less than three years ago, she realized the university was letting a critical asset- its alumni base- leave campus after graduation without maintaining a connection to the college.  As Director of Alumni Affairs, Matthews began to work relentlessly with others in the university to change that entirely- and it has definitely paid off. Sullivan University, a Blackboard client, now boasts a robust network of over 4,500 alumni with an active website and social media presence.  Alumni referrals have brought dozens of new students to the university and have led many others to job referrals and