The UCLA Anderson School of Management faced the challenge of providing distance learning options and enhanced student affairs for its Fully Employed MBA (FEMBA) students, who are working professionals with limited time. By implementing the Mediasite Web communications system, the school successfully automated lecture capture and delivery, allowing students to access class content and special events online. This solution improved flexibility, met the demands of the Global Access Program, and created a robust communication infrastructure that supports both in-class and remote learning.
INTRODUCTION
UCLA Anderson School of Management is a global leader in management education, research and service. The Anderson School is ranked among the top-tier graduate business schools in the world. The Fully Employed MBA (FEMBA) is one of three degree programs in the Anderson School and, most recently, was ranked fourth by U.S. News and World Report. Award-winning faculty, renowned for their research and teaching, highly selective admissions, and successful alumni combine to provide an extraordinary learning environment. The FEMBA Program is designed for full-time working managers and meets evenings and Saturdays and requires 84 units for completion during a 3-year period.
CHALLENGE
Manuel Burgos, senior manager of the FEMBA, was challenged to find a technical solution to enhanced student learning and to provide a higher level of student affairs. Many students found it difficult to travel to UCLA for tutorial sessions and other students wanted to be able to review classroom lectures online. It was almost impossible for FEMBA students to attend special daytime Anderson distinguished speaking lectures and other events of interest to them. Use of the Mediasite Web communications system was the solution.
“When first introduced to the Mediasite system, I could hardly believe what it was capable of producing. I was only aware of products that did just a portion of what Mediasite was capable of doing in such a short amount of time,” says Burgos. “For instance, a video camera could capture a lecturer, a Web site link could provide students with class notes; but I did not know it was possible to combine the two into one self-contained unit for use in a large university setting like the UCLA Anderson School of Management.”
Another need was for technology to meet the diverse demands of the FEMBA Program’s Global Access Program (GAP). This course offering is a unique educational program that matches students in the FEMBA Program with early stage international technology companies. The goal is to develop a comprehensive business strategy to enable the companies to move to the next stage of their corporate development.
SOLUTION
Initially, UCLA purchased Mediasite to record tutorial sessions, core management courses, GAP presentations, and special speaking events.
“Business runs on information, access, analysis and communication,” says Burgos. “At the Fully Employed MBA Program, UCLA Anderson School of Management, we can now pride ourselves on possessing the technology that reaches beyond the books, brick, and mortar. Our physical and electronic environment is designed to facilitate information competency, communication and group work. We are now able to keep our promise to both students and faculty by providing them with the tools they need to deliver data and power to anyone around the world. Mediasite allows us to provide students with information and create a communication infrastructure upon which great ideas and careers are built.”
RESULT
Recognizing that learning technologies must play a major role in future growth and services strategies, the UCLA Anderson School of Management is considering the use of additional Mediasite units in their case classroom and lecture hall.
“It would be ideal for a professor to simply walk into the classroom in which they are teaching and easily activate a recording system to begin recording content for later dissemination or review,” explains Burgos.
“The Fully Employed MBA Program at the UCLA Anderson School of Management has enhanced student learning with the use of Mediasite 100%,” says Burgos. “Now that we have the product, we are branching off into other uses for the entire school.”
BENEFITS
Provides e-learning with an online representation of the classroom experience;
Automates, captures, manages and delivers multimedia presentations;
Supports in-class learning, as well as Web-based e-learning; and
Unobtrusively records educators in their natural classroom environment.
“BUSINESS RUNS ON INFORMATION, ACCESS, ANALYSIS, AND COMMUNICATION…. AT THE FULLY EMPLOYED MBA PROGRAM, UCLA ANDERSON SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT, WE CAN NOW PRIDE OURSELVES ON POSSESSING THE TECHNOLOGY THAT REACHES BEYOND THE BOOKS, BRICKS, AND MORTAR.”
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