Tennessee Tech officials increasingly concerned about a new generation of students challenging higher education.
Dean Mike Gotcher said modern students tend to focus on how a degree can best fit into their busy lives. Gotcher said most students today balance a job and school. This can make completing a degree an increasing challenge. Gotcher said the College of Integrative Studies tries to address the growing challenges new age students face, aiding student development through their educational journey.
“Present day students are very interested in kind of cutting to the chase,” Gotcher said. “What is this degree going to do for me? How is this degree going to help me be a better person?”
Gotcher said require flexible coursework, as student schedules have evolved. Gotcher said the University now offers online programs, making it easier for busy students to finish coursework within their time constraints. Gotcher said online classes also allow students with career jobs to complete Master’s degrees, furthering their education.
“They have a life,” Gotcher said. “And we want them to be able to get an education that also is embedded within their life.”
Gotcher said the University offers flexible credit hours for graduation requirement issues or scheduling struggles. Abbreviated courses, like five, 15, and 17-week classes, are available to students who need fast-tracked programs. Gotcher said these courses enable students lacking credit hours to graduate on time and other students to earn required credits.
“Right now, students are juggling a lot more than I was juggling,” Gotcher said. “What we try to do in this college is recognize what they are juggling and fit their college education within their lifestyle so they are still able to be a member of the society and get the education.”
Gotcher said textbook costs have continued to climb through the years, creating another challenge for students struggling to stay enrolled. Gotcher said students spend an average of $1,100 per semester on books, leading to students opting out of purchasing required class materials. Gotcher said a lack of required class materials can lead to students failing courses.
Gotcher the University began an initiative to create Open Educational Resources for students to address the need for lower cost learning materials.
“Students can take a class and the textbook doesn’t cost them anything or has a very low cost to them,” Gotcher said. “And they get that textbook at the very start of the semester.”
Gotcher said substituting textbooks has saved students over $3 million in textbook costs since the initiative began.