COTC a College Innovation Network Founding Member

Central Ohio Technical College (COTC) is one of only five higher education organizations nationwide to become a founding member of the College Innovation Network (CIN).

CIN connects member educational institutions with a rich source of educational technology innovations and helps them identify, launch and evaluate essential tools designed to advance student academic, career and life outcomes. CIN was launched through WGU Labs, Inc., Western Governors University’s research and development hub for scalable educational technology solutions. Funding for the initial pilot phase comes from the Charles Koch Foundation. CIN members share both a passion for improving outcomes for all students and the capacity to execute on this commitment.

In July, the founding network members convened to determine key themes and priorities. Members will continue collaborating throughout the 2020-21 academic year to implement solutions, evaluate their effectiveness and share results with the broader higher education community.

“In working with CIN, we were able to employ a carefully designed discovery process to efficiently and effectively hone in on COTC’s most urgent needs, giving us the confidence that we’re focused on the right priorities for the year,” said COTC Provost Eric Heiser, PhD. “I also found comfort in learning that other schools are facing many of the same issues as us and that, being aligned through CIN, we can now work together to find meaningful solutions.”

Network member institutions are committed to serving diverse student populations, including traditionally underserved and underrepresented groups, by incorporating innovative solutions to better support their students’ goals of completing their education. Through real-world pilot testing, these students and the educators who support them gain a voice and transform solutions to meet their unique needs.

CIN will focus on three strategic priorities:

Empower institutions to improve outcomes for their students, especially for underserved and underrepresented groups.

Rigorously test product efficacy on student outcomes. 

Uncover and highlight impactful products.

Other network partners in the initiative’s pilot year include the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, Piedmont Community College (North Carolina), Loyola University New Orleans and Rio Salado College (Arizona).

COTC is a fully accredited, public college dedicated to providing high-quality, accessible programs of technical education in response to current and emerging employment needs. COTC is the only technical college in Ohio operating four full-service campus locations: Newark, Coshocton, Knox and Pataskala.