Echo360 Underscores Higher Education Commitment With Expansion of 2012 Blended Learning Grants Program

DULLES, VA--(Marketwire - Apr 25, 2012) - Echo360, the global leader in campus-wide blended learning and lecture capture solutions, announces the opening of the call for submissions for the 2012-2013 Blended Learning Grants Program. As part of the company's mission to support higher education, the program helps fund research from Echo360 client institutions studying the diverse use cases of blended learning technology and the corresponding effects on teaching and learning outcomes. The focus of the program is further reiterated in this year's theme, "Blended Learning Technology: Understanding the Impact on Pedagogy and Student Learning."

The ardent response from the academic community along with their need for research in this area has prompted the expansion of the program from four to six $10,000 grant awards with the introduction of two new grants. This includes a Newcomer's Grant Award for an institution with less than two years of deployment history and a Community Grant Award for a research project selected by the higher education community. Following the announcement of the initial five grant recipients, proposals chosen for the Community Grant Award will have their summaries highlighted online with the final award to be determined by popular vote. This award marks Echo360's first research grant to be chosen through a peer voting process, and recognizes the academic community's unique insight into the topics and trends surrounding the use of blended learning technology.

"We are thrilled to be able to expand the Blended Learning Grants Program and look forward to helping more educators generate research focusing on the transformative value of blended learning technology," said Fred Singer, CEO of Echo360. "As we celebrate the program's fourth anniversary, research gleaned from the program continues to spur the development of best practices and provide educators with a better understanding of how this technology benefits both teaching and learning across the globe."

The program has fueled various insights into the role technology plays on a wide array of topics including retention, recruitment and student learning outcomes. Most recently, The University of Sussex (a 2010 grant recipient) studied the impact of recorded screencasts on learning outcomes. The study's results revealed that blended learning increased a student's understanding of course material and allowed them to better prepare for assessments.

Submissions will be accepted until June 29, 2012. Recipients will be announced in August and will be selected by a judging panel comprised of veteran educational experts. Individuals or institutions interested in applying for Echo360's 2012 Blended Learning Grants Program are encouraged to visit: www.echo360.com/community/grants-program/ for more information.

Echo360
As a global leader in blended learning and lecture capture products, Echo360 helps higher education institutions keep pace with modern students' learning needs through products that digitally record and upload learning content. Echo360 has been recognized with a Product Line Strategy of the Year Award from Frost & Sullivan and named a Visionary Vendor in Educational Technology by IT research firm Basex. Echo360's products facilitate better instruction for large collections of students, lower costs and enrich learning experiences by enabling students to easily access and share multimedia content. Through Echo360's platform, students can replay recorded sessions and review information from instructors online; at their convenience and across various devices. More than 500 colleges and universities in 30 countries use Echo360's solution.

For additional information, visit www.Echo360.com