The role of noncredit courses in serving nontraditional learners

Abstract

New data on noncredit course offerings at colleges and universities help to generate a statistical portrait of these increasingly important programs.

An Exploration of Noncredit Community College Enrollment

“…From a community college advocacy perspective, additional research using agreed upon course types would allow institutions and community college systems to make the case for why noncredit enrollment is important. From a fi nancial perspective, noncredit enrollment is a signifi cant source of revenue for many community colleges (Frentzos, 2005;Milam, 2005). Learning more about this segment of the student population, particularly within noncredit course types, may help institutions attract additional public and private sector clients for contract training, recruit students, and better prepare the workforce to serve the local economy.…”

“…Several efforts have been made to understand state funding for noncredit enrollment (Boswell, 2000;Jenkins & Boswell, 2002;Milam, 2005;Oleksiw, Kremidas, Johnson-Lewis, & Lekes, 2007;U.S. Government Accountability Offi ce, 2004;Voorhees & Milam, 2005;Warford, 2002).…”

“…Voorhees and Milam (2005) wrote that "good policy requires good data" (p. 21), and there are great inconsistencies in noncredit data reported at the state level (Oleksiw et al, 2007). Overall, the availability of data is linked with reporting requirements and state funding (Milam, 2005;Oleksiw et al, 2007;U.S. Government Accountability Offi ce, 2004;Van Noy et al, 2008;Warford, 2002).…”

“…At a time when community colleges are on the forefront of national policy discussions about workforce education and economic competitiveness, there has been little large-scale enrollment research on a population that involves nearly 40% of the sector's students. Understanding its importance and impact remains a challenge (Cohen & Brawer, 2008;Lombardi, 1978;Milam, 2005), largely due to the lack of noncredit data and implications of noncredit funding.…”

Examining Noncredit Workforce Training Programming at Kirkwood Community College: A New Conceptual Model for Measuring Student Motivations and Perceptions of High Quality Job Attainment

“…59, Milam, 2005). Given the large numbers of students enrolled in vocational noncredit workforce training programs in community colleges, the economic impact and value of noncredit education remains a topic in need of further study and clarification within the field of empirical research.…”