Like four-year institutions, community colleges have begun offering e-learning options and resources that allow students to take classes or study away from campus. Some campuses offer hybrid courses, where students attend both on campus and online, as well as completely virtual classes. In addition, the Association of American Colleges and Universities notes that some schools have begun to use technology in a more real-world way, allowing students to use tools like Wordpress to complete their school work so that they can transfer these skills to working environments. Community colleges may also require students to complete e-portfolios or use an online database to do research.
By forming partnerships with outside organizations, community colleges can extend the reach of these organizations while giving students the opportunity to learn more experientially. Community colleges might form partnerships with businesses, non-profit organizations and community groups. Further, community colleges often host events that encourage professionals and leaders to interact with its student body. For instance, Montgomery County Community College hosts a writer's conference that attracts Pulitzer winners.
By creating events, centers and resources for their communities, community college students learn firsthand how to recognize a problem and think strategically about how to fix it. Many community college innovations result from a community or college need that the college community set out to address. For instance, Johnson County Community College created a children's garden where students at the college's child-care center could garden, learn about healthy foods, and grow their own lunch contents.
Community colleges set the bar high through innovations that advance their campus policies. For instance, Ozarks Technical Community College advocated for a smoke-free campus long before such policies were popular. Community college policy innovations help the campus enjoy a better learning environment by enforcing rules that promote physical and mental health.