Continuing Education

It all started when Lane Community College in Oregon decided to offer a non-credit course titled "What is Islam?" The instructor of the course, Barry Sommer, had applied to teach a class in Islam for the community college, which the college accepted. However, before the course had a single sign-up, the college put the brakes on the offering. School officials learned some potentially disturbing facts about Sommer and decided it was best to nip the brewing controversy in the bud.

The Facts

Eugene resident Barry Sommer applied in October of this year to teach a class on Islam at Lane Community College. The school typically offers non-credit courses for interested students throughout the year, many of which are taught by qualified community residents rather than college professors. According to a report at World Net Daily, approval for the course came, and Sommer began preparations for teaching. When the course went online on the college website, Sommer also sent out a press release to alert others to his offering.

Once the details were announced, a local news station asked to interview Sommer. As the course became more public, so did Sommer's background. The Sommer may have been involved in organizations that were perceived as anti-Islamic. Once the news spread that Sommer was a potentially controversial figure in the Islamic community, Lane pulled the plug on the course.

This short video offers an overview of Islam.

With over 2.5 million adult students enrolled across the country, according to Eric Digest, nearly one-third of all community college students are over the age of thirty. The variety of options for continuing education in community colleges gives students of any age great opportunities for both technical and personal interest growth.

Adults Seeking Continuing Education Paths

For adults or people curious about special topics, community colleges and continuing education courses allow the open study of various subject matters. As Edgecombe Community College, located in North Carolina, explains, “Continuing Education promotes the lifelong learning process by offering a wide range of programs and services.” The continuing education opportunities are meant to support all adults, regardless of their educational background. Most continuing education and special interest students are individuals who are taking classes for non-traditional reasons: According to Howell, “adult students come to community colleges with a variant set of characteristics. They are more likely to attend part-time, to take courses for self-improvement initially rather than for degree completion, and to enroll intermittently.” Because most continuing education students are already employed in careers or work full time in or outside the home, colleges report that continuing education students bring practical goals and valuable life perspectives to the classroom.

This video offers a rationale for pursuing continuing education.

What Does Continuing Education Offer?

For many adults, continuing education classes are opportunities to explore hobbies