NewsWest 9
ODESSA - Social media and technology are changing how we communicate everyday. Now that change is coming to the classroom.
Students in Odessa College's Global program are getting their hands on a new social networking tool that's changing the way professors teach and interact in online courses.
It's a sign of the times. Social media at every turn and now at Odessa College, it's becoming the key to students' success.
"For us we actually use it as the dominant form of communication in our system," Corey Davis, Executive Director of the OC Global Program, said.
Davis said the college wanted a way to engage online students and what better way to do that than by turning to a social media software.
It's called Connect Yard, and OC is just one of 50 colleges and universities using it across the nation.
"It was real easy to pick up, it's exactly like Facebook," student, Kami Ford, said. "You sign up and then you can see who is in your classes."
Like Facebook, the software lets students connect with classmates and sends notifications about assignments via texts messages and email.
Students and teachers even have profiles.
"If you want to submit a speech or something you can post it on your teacher's wall and only he can see it," Ford said.
"It allows us to monitor students progress more than ever before," Davis said.
Professors can even chat with students during online office hours using a webcam.
Ford is taking four online classes right now. She said using this tool with classmates is helpful.
"You might not know them but you're still able to talk to a student who's going through the same thing you are," Ford said.
Connect Yard is helping OC with retention rates.
"One of the biggest issues for a student taking an online course was navigation," Davis said. "They were unfamiliar with the learning space."
But Davis said that's not an issue anymore. The familiar social media layout is exactly what they were looking for.
"If they're engaged, they're more likely to persist and complete school," Davis said.
"It's just a blessing because I wouldn't be able to graduate without it," Ford said.
