Running head: THE FUTURE FOR NAUGATUCK VALLEY 1

The Future for Naugatuck Valley Community College

Mardelin Martinez

EDU 505

Professor Therese Ajtum-Roberts

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Introduction

Technology has provided higher education the opportunity to change immensely.

Advances in technology will continue to change the way classrooms are being used and how

instructors present curriculum material. Technology has been changing the face of Naugatuck

Valley Community College and the plans for the future will ensure they continue to change to

provide their students with the most up-to-date information for student’s success.

Overview of Naugatuck Valley Community College

Naugatuck Valley Community College (NVCC) is a two year public college that has

expanded and developed in many ways to become the kind of college it is today. In 1992,

Mattatuck Community College, who enrolled their first students at Kennedy High in 1967, “and

Waterbury State Technical College merged together to form Naugatuck Valley Community-

Technical College;” they later removed Technical from their name (“Campus Archives,” n.d).

Dew (2012) states that “Community colleges can be expected to establish links with technical

schools to provide new approaches that better prepare young people… to work in settings” with

a demand for technical, interpersonal, and conceptual skills (p. 11). NVCC’s growth throughout

their fifty plus years has been tremendous. They have been servicing greater Waterbury, and

opened a branch campus in Danbury. NVCC Danbury has had to relocate twice in less than five

years to accommodate student body of more than 1000 students (“NVCC Danbury,” 2014).

NVCC offers opportunities in over “100 associate degrees and credit certificates…” to their

“student population of more than 6,000” (CT Dept of Public Works, 2009). Student population

consists mainly of recent high school graduates, who are likely first generation college students,

between the ages of 17-24 majoring in General Studies to take advantage of the affordable tuition

(“Credit Student,” 2013). After graduation most students choose to transfer to a four year

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university in the state of Connecticut. Adults who are interested in having a second career also

enroll in NVCC. Recently, NVCC has upgraded tremendously in all aspects including adding a

brand-new building and technological advances. This is just the beginning for NVCC, they will

continue on the path of high quality technical advances, interactive classrooms with tablets and

reaching larger student population by opening new branches as will be discussed in this paper.

Current State of Naugatuck Valley Community College

In 2009, NVCC opened a new technology building with “state-of-the-art teaching

facilities for technical programs” (CT Dept of Public Works, 2009). They meet the needs of their

students by providing a new building with “‘smart’ classrooms, the latest in high-tech facilities”

and the Technology hall offers “engineering technology, horticulture and hospitality programs”

(“College Facts,” 2014). In addition, NVCC offers many online and hybrid courses for their

distance learning students. NVCC has taken every step necessary to ensure their college

continues to grow and meet the demands of students.

A Literature Review of Trends Affecting NVCC

In order for NVCC to change for the better, one must research possible trends that may

play important roles in the future of their institution. These trends that affect NVCC the most are

educational technology, economic and public policy, and demographic trends.

Educational Technology Trends

Researchers share the belief that educational technology is an important aspect of the

future of education and their findings have highlighted the difficulty of implementation of

technology into education (Becta, 2008; Leer & Ivanov, 2013; Harrington, 2010). There may be

some issues to get everyone to completely agree on the degree in which technology should be

implemented in the classroom. Becta (2008) examines a number of trends, for instance,

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“challenges to pedagogical role and professional development of teachers and other enablers of

learning” (p. 21). There are many challenges one faces when implementing new technology into

classrooms. This includes the possibilities of teacher’s reluctance to even learn about digital

literacy and skills needed to implement the use of technology in their classrooms. Becta (2008)

stressed that “when it comes to vital digital literacy skills, the need for good teaching remains as

strong as ever” (p. 21). This point is illustrated in Harrington’s (2010) article that states

technology gives instructors the means “to teach beyond traditional classroom walls” (p. 12).

Students have the opportunity to use technology outside of the classroom. However, what

happens if students have trouble with using technology such as tablets or don’t have any

computer skills? Students that lack computer skill may “set them up for failure in the very

classes designed to help them” (Harrington, 2010, p. 13). Therefore, teachers need to evaluate

the students’ knowledge on the technology tools that are being used in the classroom. Students

who are having difficulty in Naugatuck Valley will have access to classes that will assist them in

learning the technology being used. Leer & Ivanov (2013) express the importance of knowing

that technology should be used to assist students to learn in the “way that suits them best, but

administrators must be careful not to give greater priority to having technology than to using it

effectively” (p. 18). They continue by pointing out that “technology is only as good as the

humans that developed it…the human brain is still better at critical thinking…than any machine

yet” (p.18). All three authors understand that technology is a necessary addition to all

classrooms, but students and teachers must work together for successfully implementation by

acknowledging that technology is a helpful tool that provides an interactive experience. In

addition, teachers must provide extra assistance to those students who are having difficulty so the

students can take advantage of the benefits of technology.

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Economic and Public Policy Trend

Scholars also investigated the role economic and public policy trends play on the future

of education (Dew, 2012; Betts, Harman, & Oxholm, 2009; Duderstadt, 2012). Dew (2012)

details faltering funding for higher education where “most states have been reducing their

funding of higher education and allowing institutions to make up these decreases by raising their

tuition” (p. 7). Betts, et al., (2009) also examines state funding and that “college and university

officials are now carefully reviewing the key provisions for higher education in the economic

stimulus plan” and “‘permanent cuts’ are becoming increasing visible in the press relating to

higher education operating budgets” (p. 6). States are in a deficit but they need to reevaluate

their budget and appropriate funds to education not take funds away. Technology is the future of

education and without it; colleges will not be able to provide students with best education and

preparation for their future. Duderstadt (2012) explains “federal policies no longer place a

priority on university research and graduate education” (p. 581). Unfortunately, because

economically there are challenges, “states no longer are either capable of or willing to support

their public research universities at world-class levels” (Duderstadt, 2012, p. 581). The state

will not help universities so how will they get the funding they need in order to get the

technology to provide students with a better learning experience? Without state funding,

colleges will need to raise tuition to keep the vision of the future with technology alive in their

schools but they can also try to apply for grants to help with some of the costs.

Demographic Trends

Research show the increased need and expectance of personalized communication and

information (“Ten trends,” 2013; Johnson, et.al, 2013). Wealth of Stealth, trend nine, shows “the

widespread use of data analytics in other industries is leading students to expect personalized and

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relevant communication” (“Ten trends,” 2013, p. 3). Johnson, et.al, (2013) notes “A key

outcome of learning analytics pertains to the student on an individual level, and his or her path in

higher education” [where] “academic advisors [have] a window into the experience of students,

identifying both their strengths and areas of improvement” (p. 24). These resources would

provide advisors and students with the opportunity to give and receive the personalized guidance

they so deserve.

Educational technology, economic and public policy trends play an important role in the

future of Naugatuck Valley. Tablets for all students at Naugatuck Valley are a positive addition

to their classrooms. These will only be positive if instructors and students remember that

technology is a device that will assist them with their course not a device that will teach and

learn for them. They will provide the student and the teacher to gain the most out of the material

being presented in an interactive way. Teachers need to put in the effort to use the technology

provided by the college to bring the material to life for their students. Colleges need proper

funding in order to supply tablets to their students and unfortunately, it seems to be lacking from

the state. Not everyone agrees with the importance of funding and learning to use technology.

Research shows most people agree that although it may be difficult, technology should be in the

classroom to provide students with the best education possible.

Futuring Techniques for the Future of NVCC

Futuring is an important practice for the field of education. It provides ways of change

for the better and provides opportunities to think of ways to change the way schools are run.

This gives the students their best step toward a brighter future. Futurists are people that are

always thinking ahead about how they can change an organization to bring it to the next level. In

the field of Education, futuring is key for improving the quality of the curriculum’s content and

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how a student learns. Without futuring, there would be very slow development, if any, in

schools. The students would be at a disadvantage if schools are stuck in the present and never

think ahead about what they can do to improve. Scanning to help create a scenario to see how

futuristic thinking can progress an organization such as Naugatuck Valley Community College is

a necessary step.

Scanning

Another futuring technique is scanning, which “focuses mainly on trends—changes that

occur through time— rather than events, changes that occur very quickly and generally are less

significant for understanding the future” (Methods, n.d.). Scanning allows futurists to collect a

number of different medias that show trends which appear to be changing in a certain direction in

the future. It can be difficult because there is so much information between journal articles,

magazines, and books. Researchers may have challenges using this method because they will

have to figure out the best way to gather the information and pinpoint the direction it is going.

Scanning is definitely a good start to track information.

Scenario

Futuring techniques like scenarios provide a way to play out future ideas to examine the

positive and negative possible outcomes. Mietzner & Reger (2005) state that, “there are so

many different types of scenarios and ways of classifying them” (p. 225). Since there are so

many different scenarios, it can be difficult to choose the right one. Once a choice is made, the

scenario may fail, especially if only one scenario is developed. Clardy (2011) states that “some

futurists see in their technology forecasts and scenarios the promise of advances and

developments that carry the unmistakable brand of progress (p.47). Although it is difficult to try

to think about the future, it should not stop anyone from trying. Every technology that is used

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today was created because someone thought about how it would benefit others in the future.

Progress is made toward the future even when the scenarios fail because it creates an opportunity

to start to think about the future. That is what futuring is all about.

Naugatuck Valley Community College in 2019

Using scanning it is clear that the next step for NVCC will be to offer tablets with

keyboards to all of their undergraduate students upon attending the college. Geiet (2011)

explains that George Fox University in Oregon, “as a recruitment tool,” gave their incoming

freshman computers since 1991 and will eventually only offer iPads because they see the

importance of this device (p. 762). NVCC will provide tablets that are preloaded with apps

based on the students major and will be linked to the instructor so that the student will be able to

view and save PowerPoints, self-taken notes and many other things. Also included would be “a

campus map app, tools that could help them choose courses and a tool to track their grades”

(Hahn & Bussell, 2012, p. 44). The student will “rent” this tablet for the duration of their time at

NVCC where they have the option to buy the tablet with all the information in it. NVCC’s

tablets will retain all of the saved information from all classes for the entire time attending

NVCC. The tablets can be used as a resource when the students get to more major based classes

or they transfer to a four-year university.

Opportunities and Challenges

Providing tablets to all undergraduate students will have many opportunities for their

education and the future of NVCC. These opportunities are: 1) tablets will keep students

engaged in the classroom because they will be able to research questions the instructor may have

right on the spot, 2) allow students to connect to the instructor to take quizzes and tests in class,

3) student will know from the first day where they are in their degree plan and what courses they

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need to take to stay on track, 4) students will be able to purchase tablets with all of their saved

information making it a valuable resource to transferring to a four-year university, and 5) NVCC

can be the first in Connecticut to take it to the next level by using learning analytics which

“pertain to the student on an individual level” (Johnson, et. al., 2013, p.24) such as “Santa

Monica College’s Glass Classroom initiative [that] strives to enhance student and teacher

performance through the collection and analysis of large amounts of data” (p. 26). This would

be appropriate for NVCC because they are already at the head of technology with their new

building. NVCC can use this information to find out what the student’s strength and weakness

is. This form of technology would be great for advisors.

Change brings about many questions and concerns. Some challenges with offering

tablets to all undergraduates would be finding the funds to purchase the tablets, providing stu-

dents with the appropriate major based apps if they change their major during their time at

NVCC, getting reluctant instructors to learn and use the new technology, making sure students

are using understanding the use of tablets during class, and keeping major based apps up-to-date

throughout the students time at the college. NVCC has to be prepared for these challenges and

work on way to overcome them. If they are not able to overcome these challenges, tablets will

not be able to be implemented into classrooms and NVCC will end up behind in technological

advances.

Preparing for the Future

Implementing tablets in the next five years requires preparation. First, NVCC should

start to apply for grants to fund the tablets to all undergraduate students. Wong (2012) provides a

an example of how Houston Community College (HCC) applied and were awarded “a $100,000

grant to pilot emerging digital tools in classrooms” (p. 59). Faculty and students want the iPads

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because they have “more features and proved more opportunities for faculty to innovate” (Wong,

2012, p. 60). Next, NVCC needs research what apps they would use for each major they have

preloaded into the tablet. Then, find the software that will assist advisors to be able to recognize

a student’s strength and weakness. Next, they would also have to create a curriculum for the

training and required courses that students, instructors, and faculty will need to be able to fully

understand and implement the new technology. This is important “mobile technology is moving

speedily forward whether teachers and university faculty like it or not” (Geist, 2011, p.767).

Finally, NVCC should have a test group of a specific major, like Psychology, where they can

offer the tablets preloaded with major based information and provide that department with

interactive classrooms. This test group would provide NVCC with the hard evidence that the use

of this new technology will create better opportunities for students.

Conclusion

Naugatuck Valley Community College will begin on the path toward providing tablets

and an interactive classroom to their students and instructors by creating a budget that will

include upgrading all classrooms and costs of tablets for a small test group. This is an immediate

step toward the implementation of tablets. Creating the budget will allow NVCC to know how

many can enroll in the test. Studies show that testing the small group will show ways to improve

tablet use so that it will be most beneficial to the undergraduates (Geist, 2012; Hahn & Bussell,

2012). The future of education includes using tablets and other technology to provide an

interactive classroom experience. This will offer students of all learning styles a chance to take

advantage of having all their necessary information at their fingertips.

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References

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