Introduction
Various changes that happen in the area of higher education require immediate action from the institutions. It is believed that community colleges have to be redesigned to meet the needs and goals of the younger generation and provide high-quality education to them. In addition, reformations should be guided by cultural awareness to ensure community colleges’ effectiveness and contributions. The Voluntary Framework of Accountability (VFA) is created as several measures that investigate the success of educational institutions in serving students. The detailed descriptions provided in the document indicate various processes that community colleges can engage in. Therefore, the following paper will use the data presented in the manual and in other academic sources to align program outcomes to diverse student goals.
Main text
The results of educational plans have to meet the goals of individuals who receive this education. In case the outcomes do not match the aims of students, they prove to be less effective and unworthy for the future careers of young professionals. As mentioned by Fong et al., (2018), community colleges’ failure to align with the preferences of their students results in putting them at risk of academic difficulty. At the same time, those institutions that help the student to achieve their goals and support them throughout the studying journey can contribute to individuals’ motivation for personal and professional development (Fong et al., 2018). Moreover, those representatives of the young generation who feel that their goals are understood prove to be more determined and confident than other students (Fong et al., 2018). Thus, educational programs have to align with the goals of individuals to be successful.
Collaborative action is one of the most essential techniques in the community college environment as well as in any educational setting. The Voluntary Framework of Accountability highlights the importance of collective activities and their crucial role in determining the post-collegiate result for individuals. While the VFA describes how collaborative activities can be undertaken and what results they can bring, Messiou (2019) proved that these actions “can facilitate the development of inclusive practices and thinking in schools” (p. 197). Teacher collaboration, development of reflective practices, and active student participation encourage the establishment of a positive environment for both the deliverers and receivers of education (Messiou, 2019). In addition, interactive practices give everyone a chance to choose and express their opinions regarding various issues (Messiou, 2019). Thus, it can be concluded that collaborative action promotes positive individual and organizational change in community college environments.
One more effective concept that can close the loop on best practices, increase information sharing, and provide greater opportunities for collaboration, is consortia. Overall, consortia are considered to be a successful mechanism that allows educational institutions to adapt to various external advancements within the environments that they operate in (Machovec, 2017). By using this technique, community colleges receive a unique chance to fulfill their ambitions and establish partnerships with other schools (Machovec, 2017). Furthermore, consortia increase information flow and promote the establishment of strong professional relationships, by creating communities that continually exchange ideas and collaborate (Machovec, 2017). Hence, consortia is an essential technique that allows community colleges to achieve their best results and be in constant partnerships with other educational institutions.
Due to the constant changes in the needs and preferences of young individuals, educational institutions need to take action to adapt to these innovations. Unfortunately, changes are often inappropriately managed, which leads to the emergence of various adverse consequences for organizations. To govern transformations effectively, specific starting points have to be developed. Primarily, the organization has to understand that nothing can be predicted. Leaders have to develop various plans of adapting to unexpected circumstances and managing problems that arise on the way (Scott, 2020). Once the change is identified, people have to operate in phases and handle the situations professionally (Scott, 2020). Additionally, constant communication and interaction between the members have to be encouraged since this strategy will ensure that the needed information is delivered quickly (Scott, 2020). Current systems and processes can be used to measure the performance of individuals and their response to emerging changes. They will help institutions to prevent the appearance of any complications and misunderstandings within the team.
Conclusion
To summarize, community colleges can redesign their operation in various ways. They primarily should focus on meeting the needs and preferences of young individuals who desire to receive a high-quality education. In addition, engaging in collaboration is another critical technique that helps to promote both individual and organizational change, which is beneficial for any educational setting. What is more, establishing partnerships with other community colleges can help these institutions to exchange essential ideas and be on the same page. Therefore, the techniques analyzed in this paper prove to be beneficial. However, it is essential to note that organizations that provide educational services also have to be prepared for a change and establish certain practices to manage it effectively.
References
Fong, C. J., Acee, T. W., & Weinstein, C. E. (2018). A person-centered investigation of achievement motivation goals and correlates of community college student achievement and persistence. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 20(3), 369-387. Web.
Machovec, G. (2017). Trends in higher education and library consortia.Journal of Library Administration, 57(5), 577-584. Web.
Messiou, K. (2019). Collaborative action research: facilitating inclusion in schools.Educational Action Research, 27(2), 197-209. Web.
Scott, G. (2020). Change matters: Making a difference in education and training. Routledge.