EmpoweredU to Provide Berkeley-Haas with Mobile Learning Platform

The Internet and mobile computing devices are introducing new ways to provide educational opportunities for students and those looking to continue their education. As tablet ownership continues to outpace PCs, organizations are using this technology as a new source of revenue by providing their products and services to an audience that was previously inaccessible. This platform provides professionals and others an opportunity to obtain degrees without having to be tied to a campus in order to get specialized degrees or certificates while continuing with their careers. EmpoweredU, provider of a next-generation mobile learning environment, and the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, have launched a mobile learning platform for the “Berkeley MBA for Executives” program after the conclusion of a pilot program.

This learning platform was tested in a pilot to determine the viability of using the technology in a rigorous course such as the Berkeley MBA for Execs Program. The student and faculty were able to use many of the features EmpoweredU provides for a seamless integration of the iPad and the curriculum. 

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The faculty was able to perform the same tasks as in a regular classroom with the added benefit of reaching students more efficiently. They were able to create assignments, handle grades, build course sites, run discussion forums, develop student portfolios, do live chat, messaging, and peer-to-peer interaction, as well as administer tests, hold on-line lectures, and manage news and Web-content access. This platform is going to be applied to the following courses: Finance; Leading People; Marketing; and Building Trust based on Relationship. It will be followed by four additional courses per semester in the future.

The technology also provides a way in which students can interact with each other as well as faculty. The discussion boards and social learning tools have audio, video, and essay creation options while integrating features of the iPad such as Notifications and Facetime.

The executive MBA program is designed for executives with an average of 12 years of professional experience. The 19 month course meets every three weeks from Thursdays through Saturdays, giving working executives an opportunity to obtain their graduate degrees while accommodating their professional careers. This type of flexibility allows busy professionals an opportunity to complete coursework anywhere and anytime using their mobile devices.

"We are so proud to have gone from demo to pilot to deployment in just a few months and we are now helping Haas students get an online mobile experience unlike anywhere else. This partnership merges the best innovation of Silicon Valley with one of the premier executive MBA programs in the world,” said EmpoweredU CEO Steve Poizner.