Partnership Explores Online Learning that Learns With You

New Adaptive Learning Pilot in Seattle Tailors Course Material for Individual Students to Fit their Needs

BOSTON and SEATTLE, Nov. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Whether teaching six students or 600, what if an instructor could adapt his or her class to meet the needs of every individual by utilizing a new online learning technology?

That's the goal of a new collaborative effort between Northeastern University College of Professional Studies, Shoreline Community College, and CogBooks Ltd., funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Called the Adaptive Learning Market Acceleration Program, this program will guide and inform the approach to online classes at Northeastern and Shoreline using technology developed by CogBooks, a leading adaptive learning platform. Adaptive learning technologies hold the promise of transforming online education by making the student the center of the learning experience. In this form of teaching, course content is modified by software to adapt to an individual student's pace and learning, to fit his or her demonstrated needs. The Northeastern and Shoreline teams are currently working on bringing adaptive learning to four courses from Shoreline's catalog, which are slated to begin January 2014.  This pilot program is intended to support students in their studies, improving learning outcomes, with both teams (Northeastern and Shoreline) analyzing the results with the goal to implement successful elements of the project on a wider scale.

"As one of the first universities to employ online learning in our programs since 1998, Northeastern University College of Professional Studies knows not only what makes online programs successful – for both students and the faculty who teach them – but has a vested interest in the future of online learning," said John LaBrie, Dean of the College and Vice President for professional education.  Kevin Bell, Project Lead and Executive Director of curriculum development and deployment at the College added, "We are excited to collaborate on such an innovative learning technology that will enhance the learning environment leveraging the best of emerging technologies wedded to solid pedagogy and design.  We reviewed a number of the adaptive learning providers and the Cogbooks platform really impressed with its potential to personalize and support learners."

Students will be able to earn Shoreline credits that can be transferred into programs at Northeastern either for online classes or at Northeastern's Seattle campus, a graduate-program campus in the South Lake Union area of Seattle. The Seattle campus is headed by Tayloe Washburn, who also sits on the board of Shoreline.

"This is a great opportunity to collaborate around emerging technologies and this program underscores Northeastern's commitment to being an active part of the Seattle higher education community," said Washburn.

"Shoreline's culture fosters innovation," Interim President Daryl Campbell said. "That our faculty and staff see this as a wonderful opportunity isn't surprising."

The College of Professional Studies currently offers over 60 programs online in undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degree programs.  Shoreline's Virtual College offers more than 25 degrees and certificates, including the foundational two-year Associate in Arts degree, completely online.

About Northeastern University College of Professional Studies
Northeastern University College of Professional Studies (CPS) is committed to providing career-focused educational programs that are designed to accommodate the complex lives of motivated learners. Offered in a variety of innovative formats, CPS courses are taught by accomplished scholars and practitioners who have real-world experience. The result is an educational experience founded on proven scholarship, strengthened with practical application, and sustained by academic excellence.

About Shoreline
Shoreline Community College is 20 minutes from the vibrant core of Seattle. The college serves about 20,000 people a year with more than 100 degree and certificate programs. Shoreline transfers a higher percentage of its students to the University of Washington than any other school in the world. At the same time, the college offers the largest I-BEST (Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training) program in the state. Opening in 1964, the 83-acre campus was contributed by the Boeing family and is considered among the most beautiful in state system.

About CogBooks Ltd.
CogBooks Ltd is an adaptive learning technology company, applying research-led methods to web-based instruction since 2005.  The CogBooks adaptive learning platform intelligently personalizes learning for each individual, leading to improved learning quality and reduced study times. CogBooks is a mature cloud-based technology that can be used as a stand-alone delivery tool or plugged into existing Learning Management Systems, Virtual Learning Environments or intranets.  CogBooks systematic, data-driven, approach is an invaluable tool for forward thinking educators and instructional designers.

SOURCE Northeastern University College of Professional Studies