NYUs School of Continuing and Professional Studies Chooses Centra to Create a Comprehensive Live eLearning Environment
Centra (NASDAQ: CTRA), the worlds leading provider of software and ASP services for live eLearning and collaboration, today announced that New York Universitys School of Continuing and Professional Studies, the oldest and largest private-university provider of professional education in the United States, has selected Centra to provide live communication services and instructor-led classes for its online learning initiative, The Virtual CollegeINTO. Classes and student services will be delivered via Centra SymposiumINTO, Centras award-winning virtual classroom and collaboration application.
The Virtual College( offers online degree programs, such as the Master of Science in Management and Systems, and a wide range of non-credit classes and certificate programs in subjects ranging from electronic commerce to fiction writing. Using the integrated, voice-over-IP and shared workspace capabilities of Centras virtual classroom software, The Virtual College( will provide students with a vehicle to communicate online with each other as well as with faculty and advisors.
Today, the New York University School of Continuing and Professional Studies is creating a truly comprehensive educational environment for online students, said Robert Manuel, Chief Information and Technology Officer at NYUs School of Continuing and Professional Studies. We looked for a technology partner that could provide a way for us to deliver the most meaningful real-time interaction online. The Centra-powered solution allows us to replicate online the high-quality curriculum and student services that NYU is known for in ways that mirror our onsite offerings.
In addition to integrated audio, Centra provides easy-to-use tools for sharing content and applications, allowing professors to communicate and share knowledge effectively with other students regardless of location. Unlike traditional teleconferencing technologies, Centra also gives instructors the ability to immediately detect and respond to specific student needs and concerns, and interact in a confidential manner to resolve them online. NYU plans to use Centra for faculty mentoring, one-on-one tutoring sessions, to host guest lecturers, academic counselling, alumni group coordination and general information sessions.
NYU has proven that eLearning is an effective learning model that can equal the educational experience offered in the traditional brick-and-mortar classroom setting, said Tony Mark, President and COO of Centra. No other educational model provides the combined experience of classroom interaction, individual student involvement and flexibility.
Software Infrastructure for Blended eLearning
Centras enterprise products and services are based on CentraOneInfrastructure, a robust and extensible thin-client architecture for eLearning and collaboration. By leveraging the core capabilities of the Web-based CentraOne platform, Centra is the only company to offer a full range of compatible eLearning and collaboration solutions from voice-enabled virtual classrooms, Web conferences, and online meetings to powerful products for content management, personalized eLearning, and standards-compliant authoring. Through this integrated environment, organizations can increase the overall effectiveness of their eLearning initiatives, targeting the appropriate mix of live and self-paced learning formats and activities for each audience or strategic business task.
About the New York University School of Continuing and Professional Studies
The School of Continuing and Professional Studies at NYU was founded 65 years ago. Today it is the leading and largest institution of its kind in the nation, with annual enrollments of nearly 70,000 in its many professional development and degree programs. The School is focused on serving individuals at any stage of life, and – providing professional education across a wide spectrum of industries that continually demand new high-level skills. For more information, visit http://www.scps.nyu.edu.
