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Michigan Community Colleges: Colleges Coalesce Around eLearning Platform

9/26/2002

According to Lynn Thigpen, an instructor in Mott’s Communications Technology program, WIDS has been a great boon to their campus. “Mott has always been a leader in providing distance education, first via videotape and now via both videotape and some online courses,” says Thigpen. “WIDS has given us a better instructional design model for distance education courses.”

Thigpen believes that WIDS has given teachers a better tool for working with student performance. “It helps instructors work with students to solve problems,” she says. Also, from a faculty development standpoint, WIDS has made a significant contribution by getting all faculty members on the same page, pedagogically and structurally. “Using the same system gets everyone talking a common language.”

Folkening expects the focus on outcomes to continue, with WIDS being part of the picture. Their three-year contract is designed to give the community colleges time to train plenty of coach trainers who will then carry on the WIDS mission. At the moment there is no shortage of interest among faculty who want to learn the WIDS system. “Success breeds success,” says Folkening.

For more information visit www.wids.org or contact Robin Soine, WIDS, at (800) 821-6313 or soiner@wids.org.



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