Connecticut State Colleges and Universities Adopts Statewide Platform For Online and Mobile Learning
- By Sharleen Nelson
- 02/25/13
The Connecticut Board of Regents (ConnSCU), which oversees the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system, will adopt a new learning management system (LMS) to connect all 17 of its higher education institutions on one platform.
Designed to increase collaboration between campuses and meet educational and operational goals, the partnership with course management system developer Blackboard will give each campus access to Blackboard Learn and Blackboard Mobile Learn over the next three years.
The Blackboard Learn platform allows users to communicate and share content. Blackboard Mobile Learn extends the capabilities by giving students and faculty the flexibility of accessing Blackboard from anywhere on their mobile devices. Within the virtual learning system, instructors can post announcements, provide course cmaterials and assignments, add calendar updates, and post grades. Students and teachers both have access to mail, chat, and discussion forums.
"Boards of education that standardize online platforms and tools across campuses are making a great business decision, as it can create efficiencies that allow for a greater focus on pedagogy," said Sig Behrens, president of Global Sales for Blackboard, in a prepared statement.
The Connecticut Board of Regents (ConnSCU) manages approximately 96,000 students at 17 institutions of higher learning, including Central Connecticut State University, Eastern Connecticut State University, Southern Connecticut State University, Western Connecticut State University, 12 community colleges, and its online college, Charter Oak State College.
Blackboard provides a virtual learning environment and course management platform to higher education, K-12, professional, corporate, and government organizations to facilitate online teaching, campus commerce, and security. For more information, visit blackboard.com.
About the Author
Sharleen Nelson is a freelance journalist based in Springfield, Oregon. She can be reached at [email protected].