Statistics that put the Diversity into University

“There is no one-size-fits-all path to (or through) college. We need to support students accordingly.” –Sue Desmond-Hellmann

Sue Desmond-Hellmann took to Twitter to share this powerful statement, and with over 50 retweets likes we think it hit home to many others as well. Although the statistics don’t show how students learn best, they show how students’ circumstances and demographics could influence their academic journey. Thinking of America as a pie of 100 college students, 75 take their courses via classroom only, 11 online only, and 14 combine the two.

When you look at each slice of the pie, it gets harder to recognize the “typical” college student. The actuality is, spending time pinpointing the typical college student detracts from time spent catering to them.

Here are two ways we are helping students and faculty members achieve a more personal approach to higher education:

1. Course Content:

In each Bearface online course you will not only hear the health and wellness buzzwords, but will learn ways to practice them beyond the textbook/lecture model. The online learning environment allows students to learn about themselves through self reflection and assessment.

This experiential approach eliminates the memorization test-taking model and uses real-time analytics and reporting to collect student’s progress during the course. Taking online courses gives the student freedom to complete tasks and assessments when it fits best into their schedule, as the infographic above shows that many students work part-time or full-time and balance family lives during their studies.

2. Custom Publishing Solutions:

With our partner, SkyPack, we can help you create your own custom textbook and solution for your course. With their easy and affordable way to replace textbooks, students can access the course via electronic devices, such as tablets and smart phones. The SkyPack motto is a fun one; “We help professors feel like rock stars, students afford more burritos, and universities earn bragging rights.” Imagine it, professors — having the freedom to customize course content to match learning objectives, student demographics, and your own unique teaching style. We can, and the outcome for both you and student is mind-bogglingly better.

The stats prove the “one size fits all” mentality cannot be applied to higher education, so let’s open up the conversation in ways we can support student’s individual paths through university.