Adapt Courseware, the provider of comprehensive adaptive online curriculum resources that individualize each student’s learning experience, has released new social learning tools as part of its courseware offerings. The tools promote increased online collaboration among students and with instructors. The goal of Adapt Courseware’s approach to community-based learning is to deliver a more engaging educational experience where each student can benefit from a high level of support and interaction.
“Many students say that online learning has typically left them feeling somewhat isolated,” said Dr. John Boersma, founder and CEO of Adapt Courseware. “We believe the more connected students are with their peers and instructors, the more likely they are to enjoy the overall experience and successfully complete their course. Decades of research from scholars such as Lev Vygotsky and Gabriel Tarde indicate that by making groups more interactive and social, student learning experiences can become more productive and fun. We are working hard to evolve the online learning process from markedly remote to highly collaborative.”
Through the new social learning tools, students can easily connect with each other and instructors, see what other students are talking about, and obtain help on specific lessons and topics. Instructors can efficiently and effectively communicate with individual students and entire classes, as well as identify specific sections of the course that generate more comments and questions. New social features include an integrated study board, advanced messaging, robust activity log, and prominent notification center. The tools are accessible from each user’s own easy-to-navigate dashboard.
Adapt Courseware’s social learning tools are substantially different from those found in common eLearning platforms, such as an LMS. For example, Adapt Courseware’s study board is fully embedded in the course content, allowing students to post comments or questions that link directly to a particular section. Additionally, because the content presented adapts based on a student’s aptitude, the study board aligns with the student’s progress in the course.
Besides sending messages directly to each other, instructors and study groups, students can use the messaging feature to view optional student profiles and learn more about their peers. Profiles also allow students to seek or offer support. For instance, students can post topics and concepts where they might need extra help. Additionally, students and instructors can post areas of interests and expertise in which they enjoy helping others.
Other features include a new activity log, which enables students to easily track activities within their study groups, as well as a notification function that alerts students to quickly view messages and updates from each other and instructors so they won’t miss any important communication.
“Social interaction in an online learning environment plays an important role in how well students perform – when they are more engaged with content, each other, and their instructors, they tend to want to keep progressing through the course,” said Ken Ramirez, Chief Information Officer of Adapt Courseware. “Our new social learning tools embody a community-based approach to learning, making it easier for students to organize and join study groups, seek help, and get the support they need.”
To learn more about Adapt Courseware visit: http://adaptcourseware.com/.
