DULLES, VA--(Marketwire - April 27, 2010) - Qatar University and Echo360, the leading provider of lecture capture solutions for higher education, announced that Qatar University (QU) courses are now being recorded using lecture capture technology in classrooms.
The Colleges of Pharmacy, Education, Business, Engineering, Foundation Program, and Office of Faculty and Instructional Development (OFID) are all equipped with Echo360 technology to provide students and faculty with the opportunity to revisit lectures and workshops to better focus on the subject matter and the attendant classroom discussions.
By monitoring student viewing habits, the University found high rates of usage immediately following the class and in the days leading up to final exams. Access to Echo360 lectures is provided through Blackboard® for students currently enrolled and future courses.
"Lecture capture eliminates barriers of location and time. It allows students to revisit the lectures at any place and time, as well as take advantage of accessing and critiquing their own presentations and those of fellow students," commented Dr Peter Jewesson, Dean of the College of Pharmacy at Qatar University.
As one of the earliest adopters of lecture capture, the College of Pharmacy is also using the technology in its Continuing Professional Pharmacy Development (CPPD) Program, which offers professional development opportunities for pharmacists. Workshops on diabetes education and communication have been recorded and archived with Echo360, and are publicly available.
www.qu.edu.qa/pharmacy/professional_development/event/cppdevents_2009.php
"Using lecture capture has impacted considerably on teaching approaches and the students' enjoyment of learning at the institution," said Qatar University's Director IT Services, Muhammad Javeed.
"Lecture capture is emerging as a positive change agent worldwide, improving student satisfaction and learning outcomes while supporting the unique mission of each institution," said Mark Jones, President of Echo360. "Qatar University students experienced this change firsthand with the ability to replay their lectures to augment their notes and expand their comprehension of the subjects."
International Turnkey Systems (ITS), Echo360's authorized partner in the Middle East, provided consultative planning, installation and technical support for Qatar University.
"Echo360 adds a very unique element to ITS's e-learning offering as it not only allows institutions to capture their classroom activities but gives instructors an effortless way to enrich their online courses with content," said Hanny Alshazly, Senior Manager, Business Development for ITS. "It adds great value to students by providing them with a format that caters to their personal learning lifestyles. The ease of use of the Echo360 solution and the fact that it does not put an additional burden on Qatar University faculty members makes it the ideal classroom technology."
About Qatar University
Qatar University (QU) is the national institution of higher education in Qatar. It provides high-quality undergraduate and graduate programs that prepare competent graduates, destined to shape the future of Qatar. The university community has diverse and committed faculty who teach and conduct research, which address relevant local and regional challenges, advance knowledge, and contribute actively to the needs and aspirations of society.
About ITS:
ITS - International Turnkey Systems is a leading integrated information technology provider that offers superior products and services to enable its clients to keep pace with today's continuously evolving business environment while preparing them to meet future challenges and opportunities. Through its 24 offices located across the Middle East and Africa, ITS caters to the Banking, Telecommunication and Education industries. ITS Education works with corporations and educational institutions to tackle the learning challenges they face in this technology and knowledge driven economy. Working hand in hand with global leaders, ITS Education offers clients a proven technology framework that is designed to empower them to build a fully digital campus by facilitating the centralized deployment of disparate technologies to provide a comprehensive and seamless solution that is stable, secure and scalable. By offering a complete range of pre-integrated products, ITS ensures client success is an effortless and immediate process.
About Echo360
Echo360 envisions an opportunity for every student to be freed from traditional barriers to learning with an on-demand education experience. Full-time, part-time, distance, continuing, and online all describe today's student living in a 24/7 world. On-demand media and education converge at Echo360, helping colleges and universities engage students on the students' terms with full and unbounded access to classroom-based content via multiplatform replay. Developed in partnership with the University of Western Australia, Echo360 means scalable and affordable lecture capture solutions that can provide institutions of all sizes with universal availability of lecture content.
Contact Information:
Press Contact:
Mary Young
Director, Marketing
Echo360
+1.703.948.3043