More than 230 students enrolled in Cambrian College’s Marketing I and II classes are benefiting from a new suite of interactive online learning resources that ensure on-demand access to course materials across all devices, improving student engagement and learning outcomes.
On their first day of class, students gained immediate and free access to learning resources valued at $200, including a virtual textbook, e-learning labs, and state-of-the-art simulations that require students to test their decision-making skills while growing a virtual business.
Business professor Brian Vendramin explains that “students who have grown up with tablets and smartphones really appreciate that these learning resources can be used online with any mobile device. They’re happier when they have fewer textbooks to lug around, but they also benefit from an interactive and collaborative learning experience that they can access anywhere, anytime.”
The pilot project and free digital resources are a result of an innovative partnership between Cambrian College, Pearson Education, Texidium, and Interpretive Solutions. At the end of the 2016-17 academic year, the pilot will be reviewed to ensure that the resources are well-received and integrated into Cambrian’s on-campus and online Marketing classes.
Professor Vendramin is confident that if this pilot is successful, it will create opportunities for professors and students to use resources like this in other programs and classes. He adds that “the shift to eText has shown to increase both student learning outcomes and retention rates, meaning that students earn higher grades and are more likely to stick with their studies because of the rapid feedback and interactive experience.” Moving students’ learning experiences to online, on-demand platforms is also consistent with Cambrian’s 2015-2019 Strategic Plan, which focuses on “providing continuous access to flexible and customizable learning experiences,” Vendramin continued.
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Media contact:
Lynn Bulloch
Communications officer
705-566-8101, ext. 6375
lynn.bulloch@cambrianinternational.ca
