Play Miles Community College is a small college in eastern Montana. (David Schott/Wikimedia Commons) Digital learning has become the new normal for colleges since the pandemic, and a report finds community college students are largely satisfied with this change. " The Digital Transformation of the Community College " from Bay View Analytics found 79% of students gave online courses an ‘A’ or ‘B’ grade for meeting their educational needs. Joe Thiel, interim deputy commissioner for academic, research and student affairs for the Montana University System, said the pandemic was a catalyst for improving online learning. "A lot of faculty, a lot of campuses became more thoughtful but also more entrepreneurial in terms of how to use online wisely," Thiel observed. Thiel pointed out Montana saw a slow but steady increase in students taking courses fully online before the pandemic. Levels are even higher now. He explained online coursework fits better with some people’s schedules, such as adult learners with jobs, or with where people live. Thiel noted online education has advantages in a large, rural state like Montana. For example, he said Flathead Valley Community College in northwest Montana was able to work with Miles Community College on the […]
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