Collaboration | News

Adapt Courseware Adds Social Tools for Community-Based Learning

• By Sharleen Nelson
• 01/31/13

Adapt Courseware is augmenting its adaptive online curriculum courseware with new social learning tools designed to promote online interaction and collaboration.

Because online learning can at times seem isolating, the new social tools promote a community-based educational experience with benefits that not only include a higher level of support and interaction, but also allow students to feel more connected to their instructor and with each other.

The new social features, which are accessible from each user's dashboard, include an integrated study board, advanced messaging, an activity log, and a notification center.

The study board, which is embedded in the course content and aligns with the student's progress, allows students to organize and join study groups. Students can also use the study board to post comments or questions, submit topics and concepts for open discussion or provide information about areas of interests or expertise to help others. instructors can interact with individual students or the entire class.

The board also offers an area for optional student profiles that encourage students to learn more about their peers.

Additional key features include a new activity log, which helps students track activities within their study groups; a messaging tool that enables students to send messages directly to each other, instructors, and study groups; and a notification function that alerts students when they have new messages and updates.

"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 in a prepared statement.

"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."

Further information about Adapt Courseware's adaptive online curriculum course offerings are available at adaptcourseware.com.