Learning Management Systems | News

11 Schools To Pilot Mobile LMS

• By Joshua Bolkan
• 01/16/14

Eleven colleges and universities will launch pilot programs of a new learning management system (LMS) designed primarily for mobile devices.

Launched by EmpoweredU, the mobile platform will be deployed to select classes at Cambria-Rowe Business College, Clemson University, Davis College of Business at Jacksonville University, Southern Arkansas University, Texas Southern University, University of California at Irvine, University of California at San Diego, University of San Francisco and University of Southern California's Viterbi School of Engineering, Rossier School of Education and Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.

"The EmpoweredU platform offers simple, common navigation for all classes and exploits the built-in functionalities and tools of a mobile device," according to a company news release. "This includes streaming content via the Internet, course site creation, online lectures, assignment, test administering, grading, user publishing, live chat, peer-to-peer interaction, discussion forum, development of student portfolios, messaging and news and Web-content access."

Other features of the LMS include:

• The ability to work offline;
• Student-to-student collaboration and student-to-instructor communication tools;
• The ability to create essays and audio and video files;
• Support for competency-based learning;
• Integration with iOS features such as push notifications and FaceTime; and
• The ability to deploy as a stand-alone platform or to integrate with an existing student information system or constituent relationship management system.

"I have reviewed several LMS applications and the platform by EmpoweredU is the best I've seen," said Jonathan Wolf, director of education at Cambria-Rowe Business College, in a prepared statement. "EmpoweredU moves away from the didactic model of many other LMS applications to a truly constructivist pedagogy, whereby students are engaged and eager to learn."

The university of California, Los Angeles and the University of California, Berkeley's Haas School of Business have previously deployed the platform.

More information is available at empoweredu.com.