Case study: Perspectives from Higher Education Faculty
RCampus’ user-centric design appeals to higher education instructors because it streamlines and simplifies their teaching methods and improves student learning outcomes. Enthusiastic recommendations from colleagues have attracted tens of thousands of educators from around the globe to RCampus. After investigating RCampus for themselves, these educators are inspired to adopt this comprehensive course management system into their classrooms. John Sargent, associate professor at East Texas Baptist University, is one of the many educators who was introduced to RCampus by a colleague. He was immediately impressed, particularly by its flexibility. “I like the freedom of RCampus; it allows you to design the course as you see fit,” Prof. Sargent said. “A lot of professors would use it if they just took time to explore it.”
A Personalized System that Stays with You
Tanyia Wilkins, an assistant lecturer at Mico University College in Jamaica, also feels that RCampus’ adaptability gives her more freedom. “I like the ability to control much of what I produce and put online; RCampus allows me to be creative,” she said. Ms. Wilkins calls RCampus her “savior” because it enables her to effectively manage up to nine groups each semester. “In terms of having everything in one location, it’s one of the best things that could have happened!” she exclaimed. Ms. Wilkins commented that she appreciates the ability to manage RCampus individually, instead of being dependent on school administrators and IT staff. She is also encouraged by the fact that RCampus can stay with her when and if she decides to teach at other universities. The platform’s portability ensures that instructors can manage all of their course materials from any location using a single log-in. This convenience is especially important for adjunct professors like Judy Houser, who uses RCampus to compile all of her work from various organizations into a single, easily-managed system. “RCampus is a Godsend...it allows me to use one system for all schools that I work at. I have access to it wherever I go and it is very easy to use,” Ms. Houser said.
Effortless Classroom Adoption
The intuitive nature of RCampus allows it to be easily integrated into the classroom. Educators can spend their valuable class time teaching instead of demonstrating how to use the platform. John Howe, a professor at Santa Ana College in California, found that RCampus was easily implemented and that his students adopted it quickly. “My students find the site very user-friendly, extremely helpful, and prefer it to using the Blackboard system used in some of their other classes,” Prof. Howe said. “A built-in tutorial allows for a quick and easy start-up.”
Empowering Students with Tools for Success
In addition to giving instructors the freedom to easily arrange and control their courses according to their individual needs, RCampus helps students succeed by providing them with an effective, enjoyable method for organizing their many classes and assignments. Students can also build ePortfolios to showcase their work in order to meet school requirements or to advance their personal endeavors. These ePortfolios last a lifetime and, like course materials, can be easily accessed from any computer. “Students have access to lecture notes and course materials without having to contact me,” Ms. Wilkins explained. “If they miss a class, they can always catch up [because of access to materials on RCampus], they can access their grades, and find due dates.”
Promoting Collaboration in a Secure Environment
Students are able to communicate with instructors and each other conveniently. “I like that if a student sends a message to me on RCampus, I get it in my e-mail,” Ms. Wilkins said. Students can also build secure study groups for further collaboration. This efficient communication enables students to easily brainstorm with peers and receive valuable, timely feedback from instructors. RCampus facilitates communication between educators and individual learners that would not be possible in a traditional classroom setting alone. Prof. Sargent commented that, “[RCampus] is a great site and has been a good addition to my teaching...it really enables me to connect with my students.”
As educators continue exploring RCampus they discover more of the innovative features that can save them time and effort, such as the award-winning assessment system which enables efficient one-click grading. “[RCampus is] an outstanding tool that you can use to take part in or engage in online instruction with your students, online grading, and online portfolio development,” Prof. Sargent said. “It has so many great tools built-in.”
Other Case Studies
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- Case study: Enhancing Student Technology Literacy and Engagement at Nixon-Smiley High School -Lisa Brown, FCCLA Advisor/FCS Teacher, Nixon-Smiley High School
- Testimonial: iRubric -Donna Baumbach, Professor Emerita, University of Central Florida
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