creating alternative education pathways

Steve Taylor, Associate Director, Special Initiatives

American Council on Education (ACE)

@SteveTaylorEdu

TAB•Lab: Launching Affordable Baccalaureates

February 18, 2016 • Austin, Texas

Creating Alternative Education Pathways: ACE® Alternative Credit Project™

ACE® Alternative Credit Project™ www.AlternativeCreditProject.com @AltCreditEdu

11%

29%

19%

10%

20%

11%

less than high school

high school/GED

some collegeassociate's degree

bachelor's degree

graduate degree

30 to 35 million

adults with some college credit but no degree


Changing Demographic

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, 2014

23% of American adults 24 and older with a high school diploma, some college, or an associate degree were interested in continuing their education.

Economic gain and personal satisfaction

are the most widely acknowledged motivators.

Source: Alternative Credit Project Web Survey. Stamats, Inc. August 2015.

Adult Student Motivations


Adult Student Success

• Barriers– Financial challenges

– Family responsibilities

– Employment demands

– Need to work and earn money

• Solutions– Recognize prior learning

– Create flexible on-ramps to college

Life got

in the

way.


17.6

15.1

18.5

20.9

23.2

25.7

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

all adultstudents

25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+

Source: Council for Adult and Experiential Learning, 2011


Average Credits Earned by Adult Students for Prior Learning

Why the Alternative Credit Project?

• ACE and its Center for Education Attainment and Innovation has a long history of serving nontraditional students

• “Traditional” student no longer the 18-to-24 year old residential student

• Need for a new, transparent, flexible pathway to a credential for adult learners.


What is the ACP?

• $2.1 million Gates Foundation grant

• Alternative credit ecosystem

• Nearly 50 institutions

• 7 course providers

• 111 approved courses

• 32 lower-division, gen edsubject areas


Students

Course Providers

Institutions

Video: Creating a Quality Alternative Credit Ecosystem for Higher Education


https://youtu.be/h6sSYBBuIMg?list=PLXwoXK4-5g7z7Xi3wmS_Bi0cCj1VPSdk-

https://youtu.be/h6sSYBBuIMg?list=PLXwoXK4-5g7z7Xi3wmS_Bi0cCj1VPSdk-

How it works – Review Participating institutions review ACE credit recommendations, course rubric, and syllabus


http://www.acenet.edu/news-room/Documents/ACE-Alternative-Credit-Project-Course-Quality-Rubric.pdf

http://www.acenet.edu/news-room/Documents/ACE-Alternative-Credit-Project-Course-Quality-Rubric.pdf

How it works – Course Transfer

Determine transfer equivalency

Communicate course equivalency to ACE


How it works – Student Registers

• ACE adds institution to the ACP micro-site

• Students search by course subject, provider, or institution at


AlternativeCreditProject.com

www.AlternativeCreditProject.com

http://www.alternativecreditproject.com/

http://www.alternativecreditproject.com/


Micro-site Engagementwww.AlternativeCreditProject.com

Cities Sessions

State of Texas 6,885% of Total: 16.24%

1. Houston 2,803 (40.71%)

2. Dallas 1,268 (18.42%)

3. Plano 590 (8.57%)

4. San Antonio 168 (2.44%)

5. El Paso 143 (2.08%)

6. Arlington 142 (2.06%)

7. Fort Worth 134 (1.95%)

8. Austin 127 (1.84%)

9. Amarillo 123 (1.79%)21-Oct-2015 to 10-Feb-2016


Facebook Engagementwww.facebook.com/AltCreditEdu

Top Click through Rate Top # of People Reached Top # Website Clicks

Top States ⎯ Visitors

Texas

California

Florida

Georgia

North Carolina

Facebook Engagement



Twitter Engagementwww.twitter.com/AltCreditEdu


Twitter Engagement


Twitter Engagementwww.twitter.com/AltCreditEdu

State Impressions

All campaigns 160,236

California, US 22,220

Texas, US 19,720

Ohio, US 8,796

Florida, US 8,687

New York, US 8,148

Pennsylvania, US 7,427

Illinois, US 6,787

Georgia, US 5,436

Michigan, US 5,293

New Jersey, US 4,314

Metropolitan Region Impressions

All campaigns 160,236

Los Angeles CA, US 13,519

New York NY, US 9,119

Dallas-Fort Worth TX, US 7,141

Houston TX, US 5,948

Philadelphia PA, US 5,444

Chicago IL, US 5,413

Knoxville TN, US 4,191

Cleveland-Akron OH, US 4,063

Washington DC, US 3,836

Boston MA-Manchester NH, US 3,775

Steven Taylor

[email protected]

(202) 939-9323

@SteveTaylorEdu
