Avaya Helps Higher Education Institutions Create Innovative Learning Environments for Greater Student Engagement

SANTA CLARA, CA--(Marketwired - Sep 29, 2014) -

• Avaya's mobile, personal learning environments increase interaction and collaboration among students and teachers
• Immersive, virtual learning expands reach and provides a competitive edge for The College of William and Mary, The Pennsylvania State University and The University of Texas

For many of today's students sorting through potential higher education options, the availability and use of technology is an important factor in their assessment. For a generation raised with the Internet, online gaming and mobile devices, a technological architecture underpins their expectations of the educational experience. To this end, Avaya is helping both brick and ivy institutions as well as purely online models create innovative learning environments that drive better student engagement and finding a competitive advantage. 

In parallel to trends such as mobility, BYOD and consumerization affecting the business world, students today expect technology to be integrated into their curriculum with their device of choice. In addition, the one-to-many learning model -- one teacher lecturing hundreds of students -- is giving way to a search for more collaborative, engaging interaction between students and a broad range of teachers. 

Embracing this shift in learning paradigms, universities are using innovative technologies such as AvayaLive® Engage and mobile, integrated video conferencing to create collaborative learning environments that transform the educational experience, attracting more students and helping schools broaden their reach. These technologies enable personalized learning environments which provide mobile, on-demand access to resources and enable the delivery of both online and traditional course options.

The College of William & Mary recently expanded its educational reach with AvayaLive Engage in the delivery of online non-degree programs in the Center for Corporate Education (CCE). The collaborative learning environment helped the country's second oldest university bring relevant business courses to working professionals through a fun and engaging platform. The Center for Corporate Education at William & Mary embraced AvayaLive Engage to extend the reach of their curriculum to alumni and business colleagues around the world. Their student population wants online courses that fit their professional lives without giving up personal and work time that is often lost in travel for face-to-face. Through William & Mary's virtual learning world, students can listen to pre-recorded lectures, attend live interactive sessions led by the professors and engage with other students in small group projects. Professors hold weekly office hours in AvayaLive Engage that provide the personal connection and help eliminate many scheduling issues tied to time and place.