As online education becomes an essential part of the higher education landscape, particularly for community college students balancing work, family, and education, challenges in engagement and learning remain significant. A new research brief, Beyond Engagement: Promoting Motivation and Learning in Online Courses, explores how community college instructors can better support students in online STEM courses. The study, conducted by the Postsecondary Teaching with Technology Collaborative out of Columbia University, highlights how online formats can also contribute to feelings of isolation and disparities in academic performance—particularly for low-income or racially marginalized students.

One key finding from the Collaborative's research is the importance of fostering self-directed learning (SDL) skills. These include motivation, metacognition, and applied learning processes that help students stay engaged, set goals, and adjust their study strategies. Through interviews with 25 students enrolled in online STEM courses, the study identified specific instructional strategies that can enhance student success. Key recommendations include providing structured opportunities for peer and faculty interaction, helping students navigate course materials effectively, and creating clear and predictable course structures.

Students in the study expressed a strong desire for more guidance on study strategies, time management, and how to make the most of available resources. Additionally, the research emphasizes that faculty-student interactions—whether through virtual office hours, discussion boards, or timely feedback—can significantly improve motivation and help-seeking behaviors. Many students reported that structured discussions and collaborative assignments helped them feel more connected to their peers, reducing the sense of isolation often associated with online learning. They also highlighted that clear communication from instructors about how to approach coursework, use available resources, and manage time effectively made a substantial difference in their ability to succeed.

These findings show the need for community colleges to invest in faculty training and course design strategies that prioritize engagement and support. By integrating practices that build students' SDL skills and foster a sense of belonging, institutions can create more inclusive and effective online learning experiences.

Read the full research brief here: Postsecondary Teaching with Technology Collaborative.

Jill K. Singer, a State University of New York (SUNY) Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Geosciences Department at Buffalo State University, currently leads two Advanced Technological Education (ATE) projects that are developing new variations of the EvaluateUR Method.

The EvaluateUR Method measures student learning by providing statistically reliable assessments of student growth in a wide variety of outcome categories, including disciplinary and employability skills. A unique feature of the EvaluateUR Method is the growth of student academic self-awareness, often called metacognition, that the method fosters.

The EvaluateUR Method is implemented online and serves as a tool for students, helping them build that awareness and use it to improve their learning and problem-solving skills. The website resources include a series of short exercises designed to foster metacognitive practice.

The two current ATE projects examine the learning outcomes of aspiring technicians whose community and technical college experiences include independent or course-based research, internships, and academic competitions.

“The idea is to help the students really take the lead and responsibility about what they're doing and how they're doing it,” Singer said. The ATE-supported expansions of the EvaluateUR Method are designed to address students’ various experiential learning opportunities and the time constraints of community and technical college faculty who are preparing technicians for advanced technology careers.

A New Approach to Evaluate Student Learning Outcomes Resulting from Participation in Remotely Operated Vehicle Competitions (Award Abstract 1932929) has developed E-Compete for students participating in engineering design competitions. While initially developed to support MATE’s remotely operated vehicle (ROV) competitions, it has been expanded to support other collegiate competitions including the Society of Automotive Engineers Baja competition. In a Journal of Advanced Technological Education article, Singer and five co-authors reported “a primary benefit of the method is that it encourages students to become more aware of what learning strategies they employ to analyze and solve problems.”

Extending the EvaluateUR Method to Expand the Community of Users project (Award Abstract 2325397) is introducing new options that add flexibility to the method and eliminate barriers that in the past have limited two-year college faculty from using the EvaluateUR Method. (Read more about this project in the full ATE Impacts Blog post.)

This spring the project is launching a community forum where faculty can post questions about the EvaluateUR Method and receive advice from other educators who are using it. Singer encourages two-year college faculty who are interested in using the EvaluateUR Method to explore the program’s website and email her at [email protected].  

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Pilot Testing of New EvaluateUR-CURE (E-CURE) Options at Whatcom Community College

Faculty at Whatcom Community College, which has 10-week quarters, have been helping to pilot test some new options in E-CURE, one of the variants of the EvaluateUR Method designed for course-based undergraduate research courses (CUREs) in geology and engineering. One of the options involves only the students scoring the assessments and another option is designed for smaller scale or shorter duration research projects.

The Whatcom faculty members are assessing their students on the outcomes that best align with their course goals from the options listed on EvaluateUR and EvaluateUR-CURE Outcome Components. They can add course-specific options if they choose, as well. The participating students’ research projects incorporate both disciplinary knowledge and employability skills. Singer uses the term “employability skills” rather than “soft skills” to reflect the high value that employers place on workplace skills such as teamwork, communication, and problem-solving.

There is no charge for using E-CURE and faculty may request a course dashboard by completing a short online form. The project team also provides onboarding resources as well as general and technical support. 

New Approach for Evaluating Internships

The project is also developing a variant for students participating in internships. This new variant recognizes that while industry employers welcome having interns from community colleges, they are sometimes uncomfortable assessing the students’ knowledge and skills using EvaluateUR-Internship’s online assessments.

Singer described how E-Internship, the latest addition to the Evaluate-UR Method, is being pilot tested at Hudson Valley Community College and Portland Community College.

Before starting their internships, students participating in the project answer a set of open-ended questions that encourage them to think about their internship experiences. Students then score themselves on the set of outcomes that the internship coordinator has identified. After submitting their responses, the students receive an automated email that lists things for them to think about as they embark on their internships. It also prompts them to schedule a meeting with their internship supervisor to talk about internship outcomes and workplace expectations. After that meeting, the students return to the Evaluate-UR online system to answer a few reflective questions. This process is repeated at the mid-point and at the end of the internship. 

According to Singer, E-Internship helps students think about what they are learning and how information from their coursework is applied to address real-world problems. The design encourages students to have periodic conversations with their supervisor, but the built-in prompts prepare them for these conversations. The students are also encouraged to talk to other people they interact with during their internships.

The Origins of EvaluateUR

Singer began work on EvaluateUR more than 20 years ago when, as director of the Undergraduate Research Office at Buffalo State, she wanted to document the impact of the college’s investment in the students conducting research. She and Daniel Weiler developed the methodology that grew into EvaluateUR.

Successful use of EvaluateUR at Buffalo State led to grants for scaling its use at other higher education institutions and involved close collaboration with the Science Education Resource Center (SERC) at Carleton College where the EvaluateUR method is hosted. Sean Fox, the technical director at SERC, is responsible for developing the code that underpins the EvaluateUR method.

Articles about EvaluateUR include a chapter in The Cambridge Handbook of Undergraduate Research doi:10.1017/9781108869508.021 and an article in the Journal of Engineering Technology.

The Demographic Cliff and Its Impact on Community Colleges
The United States is experiencing a significant decline in the number of college-aged students, a phenomenon known as the "demographic cliff." This shift, driven by falling birth rates since the Great Recession, is expected to result in a 13% drop in high school graduates by 2041—nearly half a million fewer annually, according to the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE). For community colleges, this presents a dual challenge of reduced enrollment and financial strain, as many institutions rely on a steady flow of traditional students to sustain their operations.

Adapting to a Shrinking Pool of Students
Community colleges, however, have an opportunity to adapt by reaching out to nontraditional student populations. This includes working adults and Hispanic students, the latter of whom are expected to represent a growing proportion of high school graduates in the coming decades. By focusing on these groups, community colleges can expand their role in providing access to education while maintaining enrollment levels.

Ivan Alonso is an undergraduate who has been involved in multiple facets of ongoing research thanks to his role as a peer leader in the computer science program at El Paso Community College (EPCC).

EPCC’s Developing Computational Adversarial Thinking project (National Science Foundation Award Abstract #2300378), led by Computer Science Professor Christian Servin, explores what happens when adversarial thinking is infused in three introductory computer courses. The project is also studying the impact of experiential learning opportunities on student recruitment and retention.

“Adversarial thinking is a way to think ahead or to prevent potential attacks or capabilities that can happen to your code,” Alonso explained of the combination of cybersecurity skills in software engineering courses during the student poster session at the 2024 ATE Principal Investigators’ Conference in Washington, D.C. A peer leader for one year and then leader of the peer leaders another year, Alonso’s scientific poster included displays of data from several cohorts of EPCC students.

“So we did a kind of an experiment where we had two groups of students. One group that took the courses, just normal courses without the adversarial concept, and then this group that took the courses with the adversarial-thinking concept and the statistics showed that students that took the courses with the adversarial concept implemented more secure programs,” Alonso said, pointing to graphs on his poster.

Peer-led help sessions have been used by EPCC’s computer science faculty since 2013. The Peer-Led Team Learning model started at the City University of New York and has been used in various science, technology, engineering, and math programs across the country.

EPCC faculty and others have found that students have been willing to ask questions of peer leaders that they have been shy about posing to faculty in class or during office hours. At EPCC peer leaders meet in person or online with up to 15 students at a time to work on activities that reinforce concepts taught by the instructor. Participation in these sessions counts toward 10% of students’ grades in the three introductory computer science courses. 

With the ATE grant, EPCC’s computer science program has gained new industry partners who are providing information about real-world challenges. Servin, who is the project’s principal investigator, has incorporated this information in activities for the peer-led team learning sessions as well as for hackathons and workshops that are being supported by the ATE grant. (The grant pays for half of the peer leaders’ wages; half of their wages are paid by the college’s Student Technology Services program.)

Servin said he has found that experiential learning activities “can help the students to get motivated and also increase their sense of belonging.”

Student competitions are an engaging way to foster hands-on learning, critical thinking, and collaborative skills in STEM education. These events provide participants with opportunities to apply their knowledge in real-world scenarios, connect with industry professionals, and build their portfolios. Within the ATE community, competitions like the  Community College Innovation Challenge (CCIC) and the MATE ROV Competition exemplify how innovation and teamwork can lead to creative approaches and solutions. Whether tackling challenges, exploring innovative designs, or solving complex problems, these competitions showcase the benefits of experiential learning. Are you advising a student team? Check out Evaluate-Compete, a resource for students participating in robotics, engineering design, and other team competitions.

In this From the Archive blog post, we share three resources highlighting how ATE engages with student competitions. First, a detailed guide offers a roadmap for preparing students to compete in the Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition. Next, a report provides an inside look at a drone business plan competition, which combines entrepreneurship and technology to engage underrepresented students in the growing drone industry. Finally, we share a video that explores strategies for developing and hosting cybersecurity competitions for those interested in organizing their own. Together, these resources provide inspiration and practical advice for educators and participants alike.

Two years ago Steven Dotts thought he was too busy to become involved in the Estrella Mountain Community College’s remotely operated vehicle (ROV) team as a professor recommended. Dotts works as an aircraft maintenance technician while taking classes at the Arizona college.

Then one day while working in the campus makerspace he heard team members talking. He offered a few suggestions. The team members appreciated his tips and Dotts eventually joined the team. That first year he had minor roles. But before the start of the 2023-2024 he agreed to be Desert Star Robotics team’s chief executive officer.

At the 2024 MATE ROV World Championship, Dotts and his Desert Star Robotics teammates won second place in the PIONEER Class where they competed against other two-year colleges. (The team is in purple in this video about the 2024 competition.)

Dotts received the international competition’s top award – the Martin Klein MATE MARINER Award that includes a $1,000 cash award.

Each year the award is presented by Klein, who is the inventor of the side scan sonar, to a student who demonstrates not only technical aptitude, “but a passion and commitment to the field of marine science and technology,” according to Jill Zande, MATE’s executive director.

Zande reported that the judge who nominated Dotts called him “a prodigy” and in his notes added “But he and the world [have] yet to realize it."

During a plenary session discussion with three other alumni of ATE grant-funded projects at the 2024 Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Principal Investigators’ Conference and in an interview at the conference, Dotts shared insights he gained from his five-plus years of working as an aviation technician and two years of participating in ROV competitions.

The National Applied Artificial Intelligence Consortium (NAAIC) is a new NSF ATE-funded initiative that addresses the growing demand for skilled AI professionals in industries nationwide. A collaboration between Miami Dade College, Houston Community College, and Maricopa County Community College District, NAAIC serves as a bridge between community college academia and industry. By developing innovative training programs, offering mentorship, and fostering partnerships with tech giants like Intel, AWS, Microsoft, and Google, NAAIC empowers community colleges to prepare students for impactful careers in AI.

To tell us more about the work of NAAIC, ATE Impacts interviewed NAAIC Co-PI, Antonio Delgado Fornaguera. Antonio is Miami Dade College’s Vice President of Innovation and as such, has secured over $50 million in grants and has launched key programs like the first Bachelor and Associate degrees in Applied AI in Florida, the NSA-designated Cybersecurity Center of the Americas, and the Electric Vehicle Training Center in collaboration with Tesla.

Through NAAIC, Antonio and his team are advancing the education and training of a diverse technical workforce. By creating pathways to industry-aligned AI certifications, supporting faculty professional development, and building a vibrant community of practice, NAAIC ensures that community colleges remain essential to shaping the future of applied AI education.

Can you talk a little about the creation of NAAIC? What needs in the workforce did you see that led to the development of this consortium? 

The National Applied AI Consortium (NAAIC) was created to address a critical shortage of skilled AI professionals and meet the growing demand for workforce development in artificial intelligence. As AI reshapes industries, employers need a workforce that is not only technically proficient but also capable of applying AI to real-world industry challenges. Community colleges play a vital role in addressing this need, as they can provide accessible, practical training programs that are aligned with local and regional workforce demands. With their focus on affordability and flexible learning paths, community colleges are uniquely positioned to offer hands-on, industry-relevant AI training, making it possible for a broader and more diverse student population to enter the AI field. 

NAAIC draws on the practical experience and leadership of pioneering institutions like Miami Dade College (MDC), Houston Community College (HCC), and Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD), which are the first colleges in the U.S. to develop and implement undergraduate AI degrees. These community colleges bring unique insights into AI workforce development, having created some of the nation’s earliest degree programs tailored to the demands of modern industries in collaboration with companies like Intel, Microsoft, AWS and Google. Their initiatives address the critical shortage of skilled AI professionals by equipping students with foundational and applied AI knowledge that is directly transferable to the workforce. 

Sharyl A. Majorski has come full circle in the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program. Her first involvement began 15 years ago when she attended an ATE professional development program for tribal college educators. She was then an adjunct instructor. Now she is the tribal college consultant to Environmental and Natural Resources Technology (EARTh) Center.

To community college educators who want to build effective partnerships with Indigenous communities, Majorski suggests attending a tribal event and showing respect. “True respect values the people from the very beginning of a concept and listens to what they have to say throughout,” she said.

Majorski’s outreach efforts for the EARTh Center are informed by her work with students as an adjunct chemistry and physics instructor at the Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College and as a chemistry lab coordinator at Central Michigan University (CMU).

In 2009 and 2010 Majorski participated in the Tribal College Fellows Institutes offered by the National Partnership for Environmental Technology Education (PETE) with ATE support in collaboration with the Advanced Technology Environmental and Education Center (ATEEC).

She used what she learned at the institutes in multiple ways. First, she added an undergraduate research project at the Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College where students studied the Chippewa River. Students examined water quality through various chemical tests and collected aquatic macroinvertebrates as water quality indicators. Then she helped the college obtain a $400,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. At CMU she and colleagues wrote a proposal that received a $190,688 Course, Curriculum and Laboratory Improvement grant from the National Science Foundation to purchase equipment for undergraduate researchers to use.

In spring 2024 Majorski moderated discussions at the EARTh Center’s summit with 12 tribal college educators and a tribal community elder. Summit participants’ insights are being incorporated into a best practices guide that the EARTh Center is developing. The summit participants also recommended topics for the weeklong Fellows Institute for Tribal Faculty that the EARTh Center will offer in June 2025 on Beaver Island, Michigan.

Majorski provided written responses to questions about building relationships with tribal college educators and how she sustains partnerships. She also has multiple suggestions about things that educators can do to improve their connections with Native American communities.

As dual enrollment (DE) programs continue to grow, with nearly 2.5 million students participating, DE programs offer a pathway to higher education for historically underserved communities. However, despite the potential for DE to create more equitable access to college, many students from low-income and marginalized backgrounds face barriers that limit their participation. To better understand the needs of these students, the Community College Research Center (CCRC) conducted a study in 2022-23, interviewing 97 predominantly Black, Hispanic, and low-income students across Florida and Texas. The findings revealed six key "wants" that educators can use to think about when participating or developing courses for DE.

1. Students Want to Know About DE Earlier

Many students first hear about DE through family members or by chance in high school. Early awareness can help underserved students better prepare for college-level coursework and take full advantage of DE opportunities. Community colleges should start outreach in middle school, using community resources like local media, community centers, and even elementary school events to spread awareness. Outreach efforts like short videos, such as ATE's Student Success Stories, can grab attention more quickly and inform young students about pathways. 

A geographic information systems (GIS) project has gained extraordinary momentum in the two years since its Advanced Technological Education grant funding ended.  

The project led by J. Scott Sires, a geospatial technology professor at Dallas College’s Brookhaven Campus, has had these recent achievements:    

• A service learning experience that involved students in mapping part of Brookhaven Campus led to Dallas College hiring students as interns to create three-dimensional floor plans of facilities on   seven campuses and at 15 centers.
• During the first 16 months of this floor-plan mapping project, 10 interns completed scans of 80% of the college’s 5.5 million square feet of property. College administrators are pleased with the high quality, multi-use data that the interns have gathered more quickly than anticipated.  
• In July the college hired one of the interns as a facility space analyst. Sorting the field data to make it useful to facility managers and first responders is one of the tasks of this newly created role. The college’s chief facilities officer reports he would like to hire more GIS program alumni in the future.  
• The sequence of stackable GIS credentials—including an 18-hour dual-credit, high school program—that Sires developed from his ATE grant work was approved recently by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for statewide use.
• Other Texas higher education institutions are evaluating the intern training materials and the GIS curriculum for potential adoption and adaptation.
• Sires received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the GeoTech Center this summer.

Sires said the Mentor-Connect mentoring he received in 2017 to prepare the ATE grant proposal, which won a $224,000 grant by the National Science Foundation in 2018, has “led to some opportunities that now are blooming ... And so that’s exciting.”