University of Ottawa Chooses LectureTools From Echo360 to Engage Students

DULLES, VA--(Marketwired - Sep 24, 2013) -  Echo360, the global leader in active and distance learning solutions, announced today that the University of Ottawa has added its student engagement solution, LectureTools, to its existing Echo360 site license. The University will make this service available to all instructors and the institution's 30,000 students completely free of charge beginning with the Fall 2013 Academic term.

The University selected LectureTools because it is compatible with other Echo360 solutions already in use on campus. LectureTools eliminates the need for students to purchase hardware clicker devices, thereby complying with Ontario provincial law that prohibits institutions from requiring students to buy additional tools for a course.

"LectureTools improves the student/instructor interaction during class time. Our students see if they are tracking with their peers while instructors get immediate feedback gauge student understanding," said Mark Gareau, Director of Multimedia Distribution Services at the University of Ottawa. "Because LectureTools is part of the overall Echo360 solution, our technology team can support one student engagement solution across the campus without worrying about clickers or niche devices,"

Teaching with LectureTools is easy. University of Ottawa instructors simply upload their presentations and add interactive polls, questions and activities to their slides. Students respond on digital devices, raising the level of participation during class time. A survey of University of Ottawa's student body reveal that virtually every student is equipped to BYOD -- bring your own device -- and participate using LectureTools. Ninety-four percent of students have a laptop, 77 percent own a smart phone, 21 percent have a phone, and 17 percent have a tablet like an Apple® iPad®. LectureTools works with all devices, from the most basic phone to the most sophisticated laptops or tablets.

The complete Echo360 active learning solution engages students before, during and after class. Its solutions were built for educators, by educators to address the growing economic and delivery challenges facing colleges and universities. Echo360 helps instructors flip the classroom, improve learning outcomes through increased student participation and social learning, leverage distance learning to extend education and training programs, and provide more access to instructional material with lecture capture. 

About Echo360:
Nearly 2M students in 6,000 classrooms at 600 institutions across 30 countries rely on Echo360 active learning technology to enhance their educational experience before, during and after class. Developed for educators by educators, Echo360 increases in-class participation with digital polling, provides a rich out-of-class experience by recording and publishing course instruction and delivers deep usage analytics to help instructors respond to student progress. Students watch lectures, collaborate with peers and participate in class on smartphones, tablets and laptops, wherever, whenever they choose. Echo360 was recognized with the Product Line Strategy of the Year Award from Frost & Sullivan, is CSIA-certified for outstanding customer service and was named a Visionary Vendor in Educational Technology by IT research firm Basex. Echo360 is backed by Revolution Growth led by Steve Case, Ted Leonsis and Donn Davis.