Online Learning

New Online Learning Platform Designed for Creative Arts Education

• By Rhea Kelly
• 06/16/15

Launching today, a new online learning platform is focused on the arts and creative technologies. Open to learners anywhere in the world, Kadenze was created in partnership with creative arts departments at Princeton, Stanford, California Institute of the Arts, UCLA, Otis College of Art and Design, California College of the Arts, Emily Carr University of Art and Design, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Goldsmiths University of London, Cornish College of the Arts and more.

The Kadenze platform provides three learning options:

• Free: Enroll in any available course, watch video lectures, participate in forums;
• Premium ($7/month): Submit assignments, receive grades, build and share a portfolio and resume, receive discounts in Kadenze bookstore, take courses for college credit and more; and
• Credit ($300, $600 or $900 per course, depending on number of units): Take courses for actual college credit, priced to enable access for students around the world. (At launch, about half the courses in the Kadenze catalog can be taken for credit.)

Designed for media-rich lessons and assignment submissions, Kadenze features interactive tools for collaborating with peers, showcasing coursework and sharing feedback. Lectures are enhanced with videos, animations, demonstrations and interviews. Assessment tools and algorithms analyze and measure students' performance and progress as they complete courses.

"Many students who dream of studying creative arts and technology face crippling financial barriers, or simply don't have access to educational opportunities," said Ajay Kapur, CEO and cofounder of Kadenze, in a press release. "Whether they are trying to prepare for college, return to school or simply expand their education, I believe that everyone should have access to the highest quality education available. Together with our strong academic partners, we strive to make that access a reality."

For universities and instructors, Kadenze can be a means to "compliment their arts offerings, expand their physical footprints and monetize instructional content online," according to a statement from the company. And it can be a new revenue stream: "To properly recognize content creators in the educational process, Kadenze's unique business model provides for revenue shares with institutions and course authors."

For more information, visit the Kadenze site.