CUNY Medgar Evers Adds Video Usage to Gateway Courses

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 01/10/17

As part of a broader effort to improve retention and graduation, Medgar Evers College, a member of the City University of New York system, has undertaken a redesign of numerous gateway courses in math and English. The Brooklyn-based institution's Coordinated Undergraduate Education (CUE) initiative has issued 25 competitive grants to faculty members to undertake the reshaping.

Two-thirds of the college's enrollment is made up of first-generation students, and many of the 6,765 students in attendance also work and juggle other responsibilities.

The coursework redesign will incorporate the use of Echo360, a platform for recording and playing lectures. The software integrates data analytics that enable the instructor to monitor video usage for deeper understanding about how students are using the content as well as engagement tools to add interactivity to the video usage. Students will be able to review course material and ask questions or otherwise engage with their instructors and each other any time.

"The incorporation of cutting-edge video technology will give a strong foothold in achieving our strategic goal to increase retention and graduation rates by 25 percent in 2020," said Senior Vice President and Provost, Augustine Okereke, in a prepared statement. "This platform supports our faculty's ongoing innovation in creating an environment that fosters highly engaged and successful students."

"Engaging students in active learning is a hallmark of Echo360's innovations--these tools offer faculty invaluable insights about student performance," added Karen Mitchell, IT/academic technology manager.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

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