Expanding Remote Delivery of Information Technologies Education in a Rural Environment

Between 2019 and 2023, Information Technology (IT) jobs are expected to grow 10% in northwest Arkansas. The demand for IT professionals in Arkansas is already outpacing the number of graduates being produced. This project aims to address this need by remotely delivering IT courses to rural students in a six-county area in north-central Arkansas. The use of remote-access labs will provide state of the art, hands-on coursework to these students, thus preparing them for employment as IT technicians in northwest Arkansas. This project has the potential to change the lives of students who are unable to move outside of their local area for IT education or work.

The college will expand delivery of remote content to include the associate degree in Information Technology, and will improve the curriculum by adding new content, including cloud technologies, virtualization, and Internet of Things. The students will have access to real-world problem solving and teamwork in the capstone course, as well as internship opportunities. Such changes will build employability skills into the program so that students are ready for immediate employment after graduation. This program will offer year-round access with multiple entry points, providing more flexible opportunities for program completion. The project has the potential to help diversify the workforce and grow the economy in rural areas by providing access to high-tech jobs for low-income students.