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Northwestern Connecticut Community College/Adult Education:
Year Two Technology Grant Overview
Program Background*
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Project Title:
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Project Crossroads |
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Grantee:
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Northwestern Connecticut Community College |
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Contact Name:
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Denise Linden |
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Date:
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September 1, 2003 |
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Telephone:
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(860) 738-6351 |
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Email:
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dlinden@nwcc.commnet.edu
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ENROLLMENT INFORMATION:
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Program Area
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Projected Number of Students
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Actual Number of Students
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ABE
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* |
22 |
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ESL
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* |
73 |
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GED
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*Totalof all areas - 135 |
53 |
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AHSCDP
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na |
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EDP
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* |
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*from Technology Implementation
— End-of-Year Report as of June 30, 2003
Program Description
The Technology Implementation Grant for Northwestern
Connecticut Community College’s Project Crossroads helps us
to bring our program, both onsite and offsite, into the technological
world. Students under the PIP grant and the Non-Traditional grant
are assisted. Teachers are trained in computer skills and other
technological skills such as using tapes and cameras. Students are
trained in the use of computers and other technology as they learn
English and basic skills. We direct our attentions towards increasing
the employability of our students.
Project Crossroads uses such programs as Discoveries,
ELLIS and Easy Learner, CORE Reading Competencies, PLATO, and PLATO
Weblearning.
The offsite centers for the program are Mountainside
Foundation and McCall Foundation and a limited number of homes of
students who need tutoring at home because of lack of transportation.
These students are also assisted by the use of borrowed computers
installed with GED programs such as MHC Interactive.
Accomplishments
- Students show increased CASAS scores, moving a level more frequently
than we expected.
- Our enrollment exceeded expectations.
- Students exhibit a motivation for learning that was missing
before the infusion of technology. Students are eager to learn
and proud of their knowledge of technology.
- Students are eager to demonstrate their new skills and assist
each other as they go through the program.
- We presented a Technology Day which allowed the students and
staff to exhibit their use of technology and distance learning.
It was well attended by local agencies and the public and has
helped us to recruit students.
Problems
Although we have had no problems
with the grant, the following issues impacted our ability to deliver
our program with maximum effectiveness:
- It is difficult to maintain a part-time staff when our teachers
are eager – and justifiably so - for full-time work and
benefits. It is difficult to train people and then have them leave.
Our two-year technology consultant left because of concern that
she would not have a job next year. Fortunately, she was replaced
by a very talented technology coordinator who accepts that she
may not be employed by Project Crossroads next year. We are also
keeping in touch with last year’s consultant to fill in
any areas that we may have missed in the retraining process of
our new consultant.
- The concern about keeping the technology momentum going is also
evident. Technology will change, and our position in the fore
of the educational technology march will shift. We are searching
for grants to help us continue the momentum, for we are concerned
that the benefits our students have gained will diminish as the
technology we use gets older.
*from Technology
Implementation — End-of-Year Report as of June 30, 2003, compiled
by Denise Linden, Director
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