Published by Acadeum
By Janine Lim, Associate Dean for Online Higher Education, Andrews University Global Campus
As educators, our core mission is to empower students, and a significant part of that is ensuring they have access to the courses they need to succeed. At Andrews University Global Campus, we’ve been committed to this principle for decades, especially through our pioneering work in online education. Our journey in on-demand–or what we call “self-paced”–learning began over 30 years ago and has evolved from print-based materials to today’s dynamic digital formats. Now, as a proud partner in the Acadeum network, we’re thrilled to see how our expertise is helping to increase course access, not just for our students but for students across the entire Acadeum network.
A Legacy of Flexibility Meets a New Era of Collaboration
Andrews University Global Campus’s foray into flexible learning dates back to 1994 with a competency-based Leadership PhD. By 1997, we were offering on-demand courses in partnership with Griggs University, and the merger with Griggs University in 2011 truly solidified our commitment. We transformed these offerings into robust, Moodle-based experiences, incorporating everything from video lectures to interactive tools like Padlet and Zoom office hours. This rich history gave us a strong foundation when we joined the Acadeum network in 2020.
We weren’t new to course sharing; we had been doing it with sister institutions for years and had even hosted our own consortium. But Acadeum offered something transformative: a neutral, streamlined platform. It removed the administrative hurdles, especially with its automated financial exchange. This allowed us to focus on what truly matters: providing high-quality educational opportunities. Our partnership with Acadeum has been instrumental in vastly increasing the accessibility of our unique course offerings to a broader audience.
On Demand: The Key to Unlocking Scheduling Barriers
One of the most significant ways Andrews University Global Campus is enhancing course access across the Acadeum network is through our specially designed on-demand courses. We’ve fine-tuned these courses to be incredibly flexible, and they allow students from any partner institution to enroll and complete the material on a schedule that aligns with their home institution’s calendar.
Imagine a student from a university on a quarter system needing a specific course we offer on a semester system. Before Acadeum’s support for on-demand formats, this could be a logistical nightmare. Now, a student can register for one of our on-demand courses, and with our “schedule assignment” feature, they map out their own pace. This empowers students to fit crucial courses into their academic plan without disrupting their progression or forcing them to adapt to an external calendar. It’s about meeting students where they are, academically and logistically.
This flexibility is a game-changer for many institutions, particularly smaller or specialized schools that might not always have the capacity to offer every single course a student needs. Our on-demand courses become an extension of their curriculum, filling gaps and providing crucial access that might otherwise be unavailable.
Quality and Support: The Andrews Assurance
Of course, increased access never means a compromise on quality. At Andrews, we ensure the rigor of our on-demand courses by basing them on the same high standards as our in-person classes—from the syllabus and textbook to faculty qualifications. We apply principles of backwards design and universal design for learning (UDL) to make sure our courses are effective and accessible.
Much of the learning includes personalized feedback from human-graded assignments. Instructors also initiate bi-weekly contact with news, updates, and encouragement, and are expected to reply to student inquiries within one business day. Additionally, we ensure academic integrity with proctored exams or Zoom check-ins, which also provide a personal touch. Our robust Moodle platform (LearningHub) and automated communication system also play a vital role. Each course includes an orientation, and timely emails guide students through their self-paced journey. This comprehensive support system ensures that, even though the courses are flexible, students always feel connected and supported, which leads to successful outcomes.
Building a More Connected Future for Higher Ed
Being a Teaching Institution within Acadeum is incredibly rewarding. It allows our faculty and students to engage with a more diverse group of learners and enriches the educational experience for everyone involved. We’ve seen firsthand how Acadeum simplifies the complexities of inter-institutional collaboration and allows us to seamlessly share our strengths.
The future of higher education is undoubtedly collaborative. Networks like Acadeum, combined with innovative on-demand course delivery, are not just about filling a gap; they are about creating a more dynamic, accessible, and student-centered learning landscape. We at Andrews University Global Campus are proud to be a part of this evolution and help more students across the network access the quality education they deserve.
