Embry-Riddle's Cloud-powered Interactive Classroom
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has created a live interactive classroom to provide distance learning courses to working professionals and active military. Now in its fifth year, EagleVision provides courses in aerospace and aviation to more than 27,000 students at 150 campuses, worldwide.
ERAU's virtual classroom first launched in 2007 and has now become part of the institution's "5 Ways to Learn" portfolio. EagleVision uses Saba's cloud-based Real-time Collaboration solution, part of Saba People Cloud, to deliver Web and video conferencing with social collaboration functions including instant messaging, polling, and application sharing. Students can attend classes via the Web or from their desktop, iPad, or iPhone.
Enrollment in EagleVision's program has skyrocketed since its launch, from 150 registrations in its first term to over 4,000 in January 2012. ERAU Chief Technology Officer Becky Vasquez says the growth has come from the program's ability to meet student demand for more courses.
“One of Embry-Riddle's biggest challenges has been to support its extensive network of small outlying campuses. Many times, we would not receive enough students registering for courses catered to specific learning needs to justify the cost of the instructors,” said Vasquez, in a statement released by Saba. “The Saba People Cloud has addressed this challenge and has helped our university to open more classes for students wishing to learn diverse curriculum.”
For more information on ERAU's EagleVision program, visit the school's Web site.
About the Author
Kanoe Namahoe is online editor for 1105 Media's Education Group. She can be reached at [email protected].