Dr. Brooke Blevins recorded the lectures for her online fall semester class in the 2U studios in Maryland. The lectures will complement live class interactions between professor and students.
Baylor School of Education (SOE) is launching its first online program — the EdD in Learning and Organizational Change through the Department of Curriculum & Instruction (C&I). The new program is accepting applications immediately with a deadline of July 9, 2018, for fall 2018 classes.
Baylor is offering the program in partnership with the company 2U, Inc., to deliver instruction.
Dr. Sandi Cooper, professor in C&I and director of the program, said 2U is providing the technology platform, student support services, marketing and analytics, while the University and SOE faculty in C&I will maintain responsibility and control for all academic functions —admissions decisions, teaching, guiding students’ research work, and any other academic-related matters.
“At the core of the instructional delivery model is a genuine respect for what has always made Baylor great — a caring Christian environment, a strong and independent faculty, a commitment to academic rigor and scholarship, and a community of learners engaging in the critical interplay that comes from the intimacy of a live classroom,” Cooper said.
Dr. Tony Talbert recorded the lectures for his fall EdD course in the 2U studios.
All faculty involved with the online program will be Baylor faculty. For the initial semester’s coursework, faculty providing instruction are Dr. Tony L. Talbert, professor, and Dr. Brooke Blevins, associate professor.
Blevins said the 2U infrastructure, support system, and platform for course delivery have been impressive during her development of the online version of her “Issues in Diversity” class for the fall.
“It’s a very discussion-heavy course where the students do some teaching and lead conversations, so I was nervous about converting to an online format,” Blevins said. “The support through 2U has been terrific, and they came up with technological solutions to our class needs. Students can be organized into break-out groups, screen share or conduct online polls, among other things.”
Blevins said, “The 2U platform is not a piecemeal approach; it is a holistic, well-planned system that will make sure students have a true Baylor experience. We will be able to create the same kind of close culture that we have in our on-the-ground courses.”
Blevins and Talbert traveled to the 2U video studios in Virginia this spring to record online lectures and round-table discussion sessions to supplement their lectures. Trainings over the summer will guide the professors as they master the technology logistics behind the 2U delivery platform.
Dr. Terrill Saxon, Baylor SOE Interim Dean, said the new program will extend the reach of Baylor SOE. “This partnership will allow us to expand our mission and reach imminently qualified individuals who might not otherwise be able to relocate geographically to attain a Baylor degree,” Saxon said. “Our mission ‘to prepare, within a Christian environment, individuals who improve society through leadership, teaching, research and service within their professions and communities’ will have an even greater impact, because we are now able to reach more students.”
Talbert, who also serves the SOE as associate dean of strategic initiatives, was pivotal in developing the SOE partnership with 2U.
“Faculty in C&I chose 2U because of its stellar reputation and superior online delivery platform,” Talbert said. “The platform is focused on interactive learning experiences, with weekly live sessions that engage students with faculty and fellow students. The program will also include two on-campus gatherings, called ‘immersions,’ and culminate in a capstone experience where students present their final research work to a team of faculty members.”
2U is a global leader in education technology and partners with top colleges and universities to deliver the world’s best online learning experiences. Other 2U partners include Vanderbilt, USC, Yale, Harvard, Georgetown, UC Berkeley and UNC Chapel Hill. 2U also is working with Baylor’s Robbins College to offer the Master of Public Health (MPH) and with Baylor’s Garland School of Social Work to offer the Master of Social Work (MSW) online. Those programs will launch in 2019 pending approval from accreditation organizations.
Read more about the Online EdD in Learning & Organizational Change.
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ABOUT BAYLOR SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
Founded in 1919, Baylor School of Education ranks among the nation’s top 20 education schools located at private universities. The School’s research portfolio complements its long-standing commitment to excellence in teaching and student mentoring. Baylor’s undergraduate program in teacher education has earned national distinction for innovative partnerships with local schools that provide future teachers deep clinical preparation, while graduate programs culminating in both the Ed.D. and Ph.D. prepare outstanding leaders, teachers and clinicians through an intentional blend of theory and practice.
About Baylor University
Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 17,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.
About 2U, Inc. (Nasdaq: TWOU)
2U partners with great colleges and universities to build what we believe is the world’s best digital education. Our platform provides a comprehensive fusion of technology, services, and data architecture to transform high-quality and rigorous campus-based universities into the best digital versions of themselves. 2U’s No Back Row® approach allows qualified students and working professionals around the world to experience a first-rate university education and successful outcomes. To learn more, visit 2U.com.