Online Learning Update

By Mike Nichols, Central Michigan Live

Central Michigan University would be the first university in Michigan to implement if a new style of online learning if it is adopted. In Tuesday’s Academic Senate meeting, Provost Gary Shapiro addressed the option of using the National Center for Academic Transformation, a nonprofit organization, to implement more online learning to save the university money. Carolyn Jarmon, NCAT vice president, said the center has worked with about 200 universities and community colleges to enhance learning. They use six different models of restructuring courses that can be formatted for different academic disciplines. For many students, lectures are not engaging, Jarmon said. NCAT focuses on information technology, meaning students use more self-learning online software to take quizzes and view shorter lectures. She said it is normally used in prerequisite undergraduate courses with larger class sizes. The NCAT system allows universities to save money by placing more students in classes, Jarmon said.

http://www.cm-life.com/2011/10/21/cmu-could-be-first-michigan-university-to-implement-academic-transformation/