Simon Fraser University Award of Excellence
♬ I’ve seen the bridge and the bridge is long
And they built it high and they built it strong
Strong enough to hold the weight of time
Long enough to leave some of us behind…♬
Lyrics by Bernie Taupin, music composed and recorded by Sir Elton John.
Simon Fraser University’s Masters of Arts in Applied Legal Studies has received a 2011 Award of Excellence from the Canadian Association for University Continuing Education.
The prestigious award was presented at the CAUCE national conference recently held in Toronto to John Whatley, the CODE program director. Dr. Whately received the award on behalf of SFU’s School of Criminology, Centre for Online and Distance Education (CODE) and, in particular, all the people responsible for the design, implementation and continuing delivery of the program.
The SFU’s CODE program uses software called “eLive“:
eLive is a communication tool that offers synchronous (real-time) audio, video, text and graphical connection with your tutor-marker and classmates. Types messages to one another, speak to one another over the computer, and draw pictures—all in real time—to communicate ideas and images.
The Elluminate Live software (commonly known as eLive at SFU) is an online synchronous audio visual platform. It allows for students – located anywhere in the world – to sign onto the web site and participate in the class using the interactive features of the software. The students can present a powerpoint, take over control of the class and show their desktop (and whatever is there). They can chat, raise their hands and basically interact with each other as if they were all in the same physical room.
Kristy Martin, who completed the program in 2011, says that the innovative delivery of the program was essential: “My favourite experience in this program was e-live, which provided a more interactive learning opportunity without the need for in class attendance. That allowed those of us who do not live in Vancouver an opportunity to have lectures from our professors and to interact with our fellow students.”
eLive software is truly the ‘next generation’ in university education. Having used the software (and others like it), I can testify that it is truly amazing to be fully participating in the class from your easy chair with your laptop on your lap, without having to fight traffic, find parking or go through any of the typical time-gobbling activities that are otherwise necessary to be in the same classroom at the same time. The software fully enables the type of high-quality engagement among the attendees that is necessary for a university (and in fact, Masters-level) class.
Congratulations to the Dean: Dr. Robert Gordon, Dr. John Whately and the rest of the team for ‘elluminating’ how the eLive software combined with the web can build a bridge and bring people together for world-class results.
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