Newsweek recently recognized Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) as one of the country’s best online learning schools for 2022. “We’re proud that we were selected from among thousands of schools for this first-tier recognition,” says Gavin Harper, PhD, director of SLCC’s Online, eLearning and Competency-Based Education.
“It reflects the efforts of our robust team of design and teaching experts, who strive to create courses that are engaging and meet high academic standards,” Gavin says.
Newsweek worked with a data company and surveyed more than 9,000 students in the United States to develop a list of the top 150 schools that provide stellar online learning. SLCC rated 118, and the University of Utah ranked 109.
Nearly 80% of U.S. colleges offered either standalone courses or online degree programs as of 2019 (the most recent available data), according to the U.S. Department of Education. Pushed into prevalence by the pandemic, online classes are now more common than ever throughout higher education.
At SLCC, nearly 10,000 students participate in online courses each semester throughout Utah and the country. Many of the college’s students take a hybrid of in-person and online classes. The number has jumped from an average of students taking one to two online courses each semester to two or three courses in spring, 2022.
“I like having the option of taking both online and in-person classes. For classes I struggle with, like math, I want to be in the classroom,” says Bailey Jacquet, who is studying psychology. “I am that student who talks to the math teacher the most.”
Jacquet’s spring semester includes two online courses and two in-person classes. “The online classes allow me to add very specific structure to my life, and it is structure over which I have some control,” says Jacquet, who works two jobs and is a full-time student.
How Are Online Classes More Inclusive?
While SLCC is dedicated to providing valuable in-person learning—offering 75% of their classes in-person—college leadership also realizes the importance of providing students with learning options that increase their likelihood of accessing education and completing degree or certificate programs.
“Online education is inclusive, economically, geographically and for people with disabilities,” says Anthony Nocella, PhD, an assistant professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology. He recalls students who have taken his online classes who live on Native American reservations, or some who have been restricted to staying home due to health issues.
Nocella adds that most SLCC students work, sometimes multiple jobs, and they may also have family responsibilities. The flexibility and affordability of the college’s online classes make education an option that might otherwise be unattainable.
“We take great care with accessibility to make sure any student, no matter where they come from or where they are starting, is able to access our learning materials and courses,” says Harper, pointing out that SLCC has been offering online education for more than 20 years and now offers more than 1,700 varied courses in 50 academic disciplines and a growing number of degree and certificate programs that can be earned entirely online.
How to Make an Online Course Compelling Instead of Boring?
Just like in in-person classes, engaging students online enriches the learning experience. However, the technical platform requires a team of experts to build an “environment” that engages (i.e., videos, tutorials from faculty, interactive experiences).
SLCC’S team includes instructional designers, technologists, media developers and assessment specialists, as well as faculty input.
“This is really unique to SLCC. Most colleges do not have as robust a team on staff that is devoted to creating online courses,” says Harper. “We use design tools that make students feel engaged and not bored when they enter an online class experience.”
Harper explains that they are able to create a high-quality, glossy and visual design similar to dynamic websites as opposed to a more generic site.
To make sure SLCC’s online courses are engaging and academically effective, the college’s team follows a rigorous process that encompasses three semesters. The first semester focuses on design around learning concepts and assessments based on faculty input. During the second semester, the team builds the course, and in the last semester the course goes live as a pilot project. Feedback from students during this pilot phase provides for the final improvements.
A key part of the experience for students who take online classes is access to immediate technical support, which is why SLCC created an eLearning support team that is available 12 hours each day and maintains a response time of under an hour. “We take a timely response very seriously,” says Harper. “If you cannot do your homework, you are going to have a terrible experience.”
Jacquet recalls an online class she took at another college several years ago and notes, “I could hardly pay attention.” She rattles off the online course subjects she has taken at SLCC, including English, criminal justice and psychology. “My Abnormal Psychology class was so good last semester withTEDx talks and online discussions and content, that I’m taking another psychology course this quarter.”
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