“People who would not be able to go to college in the traditional sense, due to work and / or family obligations, can now get the education they want. They can go online whenever and wherever it suits their schedules and earn degrees.” – Claire Stuve, Educational Technologist, University of Toledo.

Distance learning and online education is here to stay. Online courses are convenient for students and can be cost-effective for the institution. Survey data says that 58% of students have taken an online course, motivated primarily by being able to take the class on their own time. Online enrollment represents about 31% of total enrollment and we expect that percentage to increase.

So, how does active learning technology help institutions extend instruction beyond the four walls of the classroom and the boundaries of the campus?  More importantly, can a rich learning environment even be created online?

Universities should be able to take lectures or other course material and make it available online for student consumption anytime, anywhere and on any device.  But, it’s not just about distributing course content – it’s about creating the same kind of social experience in a virtual world as the student might experience in a traditional classroom.  That means interacting with instructors as well as peers.

Here are three examples of how institutions are doing just that.

City University of Hong Kong.  CityU’s robust distance learning program webcasts research seminars to students on remote campuses in Mainland China. The university also participates in 20-30 international partnership programs with higher education institutions in the United States.  They can “live stream” course content and conduct virtual “instructor exchanges.” Students are exposed to groundbreaking research and instruction – all online – they may not have otherwise been able to access.  Read the CityU case study.

Macquarie University. Macquarie University is a premiere modern university located in Sydney Australia. They use active learning technology to solve problems of over enrollment in required classes. Now, every student is guaranteed a “seat” in class. Macquarie live-streams lectures and replicates the “live class” environment.

Coventry University.  Located in the heart of London, Coventry University faced virtual shutdown during the 2012 London Olympics. By using active learning technology, Coventry pre-recorded course content and students were able to access it at their convenience from both inside and outside of the UK. Read the Coventry Case Study

These are just a few examples of how institutions use active learning technology to create distance learning programs.  How might this technology work at your institution? We invite you to be fearless.