Over the past decade, online courses and entire online degree programs have been made available, serving millions of students in higher education. These online courses largely have been designed and taught using the theoretical concepts and practical strategies of Asynchronous Learning Networks (ALN). During 2003-04, approximately two million…

In the U.S., only 38 of every 100 ninth graders enroll in college; of these 38, only 18 complete bachelors' degrees within six years. Asynchronous learning networks (ALN)--asynchronous, highly interactive, instructor-led, resource-rich, cohort-based learning--can yield high success rates. Growing demand for online education and the expectation…

Locally governed Iowa Community Colleges are very effective at meeting the needs of local constituencies. However, this focus on local needs can hinder collaborative efforts. The Iowa Associations of Community College Trustees and Presidents determined there was a need for a single point of contact for the development and purchase of training…

The Labor Educational Advising Project (LEAP) was inaugurated in 1979 at Des Moines Area Community College to facilitate the provision of educational advising services within organized labor in Central Iowa. LEAP worked with local unions and union members to train a network of peer volunteers to provide educational counseling to workers interested…

This booklet compiles information on Iowa's statewide system of postsecondary area schools. A history of the junior college movement in Iowa and the formation of the area schools is provided, including statistical data covering the 10-year period 1966-1975. There are currently 15 area schools operating in Iowa. The merged areas of the schools…

The Leadership Institute for a New Century (LINC) began in 1989 as a consortium formed by Iowa State University, the Iowa Association of Community College Trustees, and the Iowa Association of Community College Presidents. The mission of LINC was to increase the diversity of upper-level administrators at community colleges through developing and…

In commemorating the 25-year history of Iowa's community college system, this report describes the colleges' programs and services, presents a vision for the future, and provides historical and descriptive profiles of the system's 15 colleges. An introductory section reviews the missions of Iowa's community colleges, focusing on educational…

Statistical and descriptive information illustrate the opportunities available in Iowa's 15 area schools. They provide general information about the statewide merged area school system, its history, current status, and enrollments for the 1978-1979 school year. Specific data are also given concerning enrollments, admission policies, financial aid,…