Saba Fallstudie: Saba Centra–Based EagleVision Helps Embry-Riddle Worldwide Meet Lofty Educational Objectives

case study Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University — Worldwide Saba Centra–Based EagleVision Helps Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is a unique educational Embry-Riddle Worldwide Meet Lofty institution. Founded exactly 22 years after the Wright Brothers’ historic Educational Objectives flight on December 17, 1903, Embry-Riddle is widely regarded as the foremost aviation and aerospace university in the world. Solution Overview Embry-Riddle teaches the science, practice, and business of aviation Industry — Higher Education and aeronautics to nearly 13,000 undergraduates and graduate students Challenge attending its residential campuses in Daytona Beach, Florida, and Provide an interactive, real-time virtual Prescott, Arizona. The school also provides educational opportunities for learning environment that reduces travel more than 27,000 working civilian and military professionals throughout overhead for instructors and better leverages more than 130 worldwide campuses across the U.S., Europe, and the faculty across a network of geographically distributed campuses Middle East, and through online, self-paced distance learning. One of Embry-Riddle’s biggest challenges had been to support its Benefits • nables top faculty members to instruct E extensive network of small outlying “campuses,” where many times students at campuses nationwide not enough students would register for a particular course to justify the • Minimizes course cancellations due to low cost of an instructor to teach it. enrollment at worldwide campuses • Helps Embry-Riddle meet increased enrollment objectives • Reduces travel expense for faculty members “ EagleVision’s virtual classroom environment lets far more students connect face-to-face with our outstanding faculty, many of whom are tops in their field. That simply wasn’t Solution Saba Centra Suite possible before. ” Becky Vasquez Director of Student and Technology Services Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University “For example, we might have a top aviation business manager teaching a course in one of our San Diego classrooms, and a handful of students in Seattle and Las Vegas who want to enroll in the same course,” explained Becky Vasquez, director of student and technology services for Embry-Riddle. “Without adequate numbers to support the cost of instructors in each location, we might have to cancel the outlying course offerings — disappointing those students and reducing our revenue. EagleVision, which runs on Saba Centra technology, lets us connect our classrooms and offer live courses to students hundreds or thousands of miles away — taught by the best faculty in their field.” case study | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University — Worldwide Highly Interactive Virtual Classroom Environment is obviously a key element in its strategic plan. Further, Although a few students connect from home, most students by being able to use top-quality faculty to teach a larger taking courses over EagleVision also attend one of Embry- percentage of its classroom-based courses — without Riddle’s worldwide campuses. The classroom setting enables travel expenses — Embry-Riddle is also greatly enhancing the school to better manage the session, with Web video student satisfaction and loyalty. A satisfied student body will for two-way, face-to-face interaction and often Voice over enhance enrollment growth over time. Internet Protocol (VoIP) for economical, high-quality audio. “EagleVision’s virtual classroom environment lets far more Typically, the remote instructor is also in a classroom setting students connect face-to-face with our outstanding faculty, with students in attendance, in addition to those students many of whom are tops in their field,” noted Vasquez. “That participating over the Web. Faculty members are trained simply wasn’t possible before.” in how to prepare for EagleVision classes, and they use Although most EagleVision students come to a classroom Agenda Builder to efficiently load their class content ahead at an Embry-Riddle campus, not all do. Recently, a student of time. Instructors also hold practice sessions to gain in Embry-Riddle’s Technical Management graduate program experience with tools such as the interactive whiteboard — which relies on the cohort method — had to move from before going online the first time. Seattle, where the program was being taught. Instead of In addition to the two-way video and audio connection, which dropping out, the student was able to stay with her cohort helps keep students focused and involved, students and through the use of EagleVision. instructors both enjoy using the “emoticons” for raising a hand Embry-Riddle is also beginning the planning necessary to to ask a question, using a smiley face to indicate laughter, or create hybrid courses — distance learning offerings that using clapping hands for applause. Exams are generally given are perhaps 50% asynchronous online learning, and 50% by staff at the local site or securely online with Blackboard, synchronous virtual classroom offerings. Some weeks, using randomized question sets and timed assessments. students could do self-paced work, getting assignments Many EagleVision courses are recorded — without the online, reading and writing, and sharing ideas through video content — and posted in Embry-Riddle’s Blackboard discussion boards. Other weeks, students could attend Learning Management System. Students can easily make virtual classes over the Web. up missed classes or prepare for exams by calling up “The possibilities are truly endless,” Vasquez remarked. recordings with just the touch of a button. “The only limitation is our imagination.” “There’s a lot of value in EagleVision’s replay capabilities,” Moving beyond the classroom, Embry-Riddle is using the Vasquez commented. “Students can go back afterwards to Saba Centra Suite for staff training, Webinars, and faculty easily review portions of a class. This is especially helpful if meetings. Recently, faculty members from the Memphis the class is working together on mathematical equations or regional area were able to meet virtually via EagleVision. trying to absorb complex concepts in a lecture.