SkillsCommons IMPACTcommunities: Solving Big Issues in Today’s Higher Ed

Audience Level: 
All
Session Time Slot(s): 
Institutional Level: 
Higher Ed
Special Session: 
Community College/TAACCCT
Abstract: 

Educators can respond to the challenges in higher education stronger together, as a community. This mindset was the impetus for the creation of the SkillsCommons.org IMPACTcommunities. Three communities were created to address specific needs in higher education: StoryTelling, Industry Expert to Expert Instructor, and the Skills2Work (S2W). Come hear each of the three communities discuss the progressive and successful outcomes of their work.

Extended Abstract: 

Educators can respond to the challenges in higher education stronger together, as a community. This mindset was the impetus for the creation of the SkillsCommons.org IMPACTcommunities. Three communities were created to address specific needs in higher education: StoryTelling, Industry Expert to Expert Instructor, and the Skills2Work (S2W). Come hear each of the three communities discuss the progressive and successful outcomes of their work.

 

"CSU-MERLOT’s SkillsCommons IMPACTcommunities are comprised of community colleges, industry sectors, professional organizations, national/state/local workforce development programs, and others interested in leading and participating in essential and sustainable initiatives that advance workforce development programs. IMPACTcommunities evolve as collaborative problem solving processes to common challenges found in higher education today.  

 

Our goal for the IMPACTcommunities is to enable affordable innovations in career/technical education and workforce development programs to be easily and widely adopted and adapted by teachers, learners, industries, and professional organizations. This focus is designed to help scale the benefits of the U.S. Department of Labor’s TAACCCT investment in workforce development programs at community colleges across America".

 

 

After the session, attendees will be able to:

 

Access tools that will help them use storytelling to compliment reporting and share solutions to common challenges found in higher education today, and sustain impactful innovations (e.g. student learning, successful completion of programs, and job placement).

 

Upskill faculty and industry trainers through our newly launched Industry Expert to Expert Instructor course which includes a collection of videos and interactive modules to help the industry expert adopt exemplary teaching practices and experience a successful transition to classroom instructor.

 

Grow successful strategies to build bridges between educational institutions and the workforce system (employers, workforce centers, chambers of commerce, and industry organizations) that lead to effective workforce pipelines.

Position: 
7
Conference Session: 
Concurrent Session 3
Conference Track: 
The Education-Workforce Continuum
Session Type: 
Emerging Ideas Session
Intended Audience: 
All Attendees