• Provide investment capital to expand the use of proven and emerging learning technologies.
• Collect and share evidence of what works, and fostering a community of innovators and adopters.
• Support is needed to refine and rigorously test their solutions, to connect with other like-minded innovators and to develop strategies to broaden thier reach and impact.
• Result in a robust pool of solutions and greater institutional adoption which, in turn, will dramatically improve the quality of learning experiences in the US.

the challenges

• Nearly 30% of students don’t finish high school. The dropout rate among African Americans, Hispanics, and low-income students is nearly 50%.
• Only 42% of young people who enroll in college complete a bachelot’s degree by the age of 26. Just 12% complete an associates degree. Among low-income students, the bachelor’s completion rate is just 26%, while only about 14% earn an associate degree.
• by 2018, 63% of all US jobs will require some sort of post secondary education.
• In 2008, the average wage of adults 25 and older with a four year degree was $60,954, compared to $33, 618 for those with only a high school diploma and $24, 686 for those with no high school diploma.
• Nearly 22 million new workers with post secondary degrees will be need by 2018, but it is estimated that the US higher education system will fall short of that mark by 3 million graduates.

SUNY SLN Catch-up and Complete enhanced blended learning initiative

• Nationally 40% of the poor are children.
• 20% of children in NYS live in poverty.
• Single-parent families comprise 39.1% of the poor.

National Report Card on Higher Education, Measuring Up 2008

“College opportunities for New York State residents are poor. The likelihood of enrolling in college by age 19 is only fair, and a very low percentage of working-age adults (4 in 100) are enrolled in higher education. Among young adults, 29% of Hispanics and 34% of blacks are enrolled in college, compared with 50% of whites.” In addition, “The enrollment of working-age adults relative to the number of residents without a bachelor’s degree, has declined in NY… the percentage attending college in NY is well below the US average and the top states.”

• 40% of those incoming college students need remedial education and that number can be up to 70% at community colleges.
• More than 50% of those that start, fail/drop out.

NYS is failing  to adequately meet the education needs of poor and working class NYS families, earning a dismal D+ in participation and a resounding F in affordability according to the  Measuring Up 2008 report card.

SUNY can attempt to address the issue of participation by making improvements in options offered, specifically by targeting success in developmental courses, and persistence, success, and completion.

• blended learning – convenience
• support – concierges/digital age librarians
• engagement
• social networking – student commons
• costs – books/OCL