http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/ en kmatthews@wimba.com Copyright 2009 2009-06-26T13:33:25-05:00 http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/robert_gordon_university_use_wimba_to_improve_healthcare_instruction_in_the/ http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/robert_gordon_university_use_wimba_to_improve_healthcare_instruction_in_the/#When:12:33:25Z A qualification in the growing sector of health promotion could give professionals the chance to diversify into different fields. Health promotion covers a wide range of health issues, from obesity, sexually transmitted diseases, mental health improvement, alcohol and substance misuse to smoking. Courses such as the online MSc in Health Improvement and Health Promotion, delivered by Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, give health professionals the qualification required to meet key competencies, such as the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF), to allow practitioners to progress in their field. The growing emphasis on the preventable causes of disease has also meant that the skills developed on this type of course are now incorporated into the roles of other health professionals, such as occupational therapists, physiotherapists and nurses. The MSc at RGU is the only one of its kind worldwide. The course is also endorsed by the Royal Society of Health (RSH). The MSc is particularly successful as it is delivered completely online. Students can study at any time, anywhere, giving them the freedom to juggle gaining a qualification with work and family. Indeed, 99% of those currently on the course work full-time and come from destinations as varied as Nigeria and Canada, as well as across Scotland and the UK. Students on the course submit work online, as well as joining live discussions and a weekly one-hour tutorial. The course uses Wimba, a collaborative learning software that gives a virtual classroom setting via webcam, allowing cohorts to see each other, lending a community feel to the course. Gil Strachan, course leader at the university’s School of Health Sciences, said: “Health improvement is no longer the sole responsibility of the NHS – it covers every single sector from employment and social policy to local government and the police. “We provide a holistic view of health and health promotion, enabling students to critically examine the issues that surround the health of the population. The course attracts students from a wide range of health professions, which has real benefit as they learn from each other’s experience and the issues that they face in their day-to-day workplaces. “Professionals on this course now work in a climate of constant change. Our aim is to equip them with the ability to adapt to the political climate, and to develop and evaluate initiatives designed to reduce inequalities and improve health. Through multi-professional teamwork, clinical partnership, research, scholarly and professional activity graduates will develop the high standards of knowledge, skill, competency and conduct expected of this new breed of health professional.” One of the students on the course is Fiona Thomson, the fourth delegate who has achieved a job promotion since the course started. Fiona has been promoted from assistant health improvement officer to hepatitis C trainer. Fiona said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed the course so far. I am particularly pleased that it has been designed to be relevant to the changing needs within health improvement and health promotion within the workplace. “The topics covered are up to date and current and I have found the staff helpful and encouraging and any difficulties I have had either with technology or practical work have been dealt with quickly and to my satisfaction. I feel that the relationship with tutors is one of mutual respect and learning together rather than ‘teacher’ and ‘student’. As I am a mature student this approach is great. “Having participants from other countries and areas of Scotland enhances the learning experience and I have already gained a new job which I feel is partly due to the fact that I am doing the course.” Delegates should have a degree plus a minimum of one year of work experience or have a professional qualification and/or a minimum of two years’ work experience. The course can be completed over a period of two to five years. The modules are also offered in a stand-alone format and can be taken through the university’s Postgraduate Professional Studies Programme. They meet the key competencies including the Knowledge and Skills Framework and National Occupational Standards for the Practice of Public Health, which will allow individuals to develop core competencies within their continued professional development.   Read the article on ”The Press and Journal” website.   2009-06-26T12:33:25-05:00 http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/wimba_closes_6_million_in_series_c_funding_led_by_abs_ventures/ http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/wimba_closes_6_million_in_series_c_funding_led_by_abs_ventures/#When:11:41:11Z NEW YORK – June 9, 2009 – Wimba® Inc., the education technology company that helps people teach people, announced today that it closed $6 million in a round of Series C venture capital financing led by ABS Ventures.  This new funding will drive continued development of innovative collaborative technology and market expansion, leveraging the strength of the award-winning Wimba Collaboration Suite™ and its enthusiastic adoption amongst learning communities around the world.  In conjunction with this funding, Bruns Grayson, Managing Partner at ABS Ventures, has joined the Wimba board.  With over 25 years of investment experience, Grayson’s expertise includes work in the data communication, software and medical device sectors as well as management of both private and public companies. Grayson is a graduate of Harvard College, Oxford University and the University of Virginia School of Law, and was elected as a Rhodes Scholar. In addition to Wimba, Grayson is an active board member of the Active Network, Intact Medical, and Rib-X Pharmaceuticals. “I’ve been following the evolution of the virtual learning market for years now and am so impressed by how Wimba’s solutions improve the effectiveness of online instruction, student retention and engagement,” said Grayson.  “Wimba’s board is made up of seasoned veterans with whom I have already enjoyed working.  We are focused and committed to accelerating the development and adoption of Wimba in both higher education and K-12 learning communities.”  “ABS Venture understands the fundamentals of our market and the opportunities we have to help educators meet the challenges of engaging and retaining 21st century learners,” said Carol Vallone, CEO and Chairman of the Board at Wimba.  “Its Series C funding represents a strong endorsement of our solution and will help fuel continued product development and momentum in the education sector.  Bruns is an outstanding addition to our board and we have already benefited from his expertise and enthusiasm.”    The Wimba Collaboration Suite—recently awarded the 2009 “Best Education Solution” CODiE award by the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA)—enhances learning, improves outcomes and increases student retention.  By combining interactive technologies such as voice, video, podcasting, instant messaging, application sharing, polling and whiteboarding, students and teachers are empowered with a unique collaborative environment that fosters dynamic interaction between students and instructors as well as peer-to-peer communication between students and faculty.  About ABS Ventures ABS Ventures, founded in 1982, is a Boston-based venture firm focused on software, communications, and healthcare investment opportunities. ABS Ventures employs both primary and secondary direct strategies for mid-stage technology company investing. The firm helps talented management teams build industry-leading companies by providing financial, strategic, technical and operational support. ABS Ventures manages more than $320 million in assets. www.absventures.com   2009-06-09T11:41:11-05:00 http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/wimba_congratulates_the_class_of_2009/ http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/wimba_congratulates_the_class_of_2009/#When:19:44:14Z May and June mark the end of the year for most schools and universities.  Hundreds of thousands of the students that make up the Class of 2009 have experienced the power of enhanced communication with Wimba’s collaboration solutions throughout their academic careers.  Wimba would like to offer these graduates a hearty congratulations for reaching this significant milestone! Yarly, our feathered mascot, visited the outdoor set of Good Morning America to congratulate the Class of 2009 on national television!Don’t miss Yarly in his Good Morning America debutSee how Yarly made friends in Times SquareSee how Yarly made friends in Times Square       2009-06-04T19:44:14-05:00 http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/annie_chechitellis_radio_interview_on_tech_talk_with_craig_peterson/ http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/annie_chechitellis_radio_interview_on_tech_talk_with_craig_peterson/#When:19:00:53Z Annie Chechitelli, Wimba’s Vice President of Product, was a guest on the national radio show, Tech Talk with Craig Peterson.  Annie’s radio interview aired Saturday May 23, 2009 on several ClearChannel radio stations in Boston including:    -AM 610 WGIR    -AM 930 WGIN    -AM 1540 WGIP Click here to listen to Annie on the air discussing how Wimba facilitates collaborative learning at education institutions worldwide.     2009-05-29T19:00:53-05:00 http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/disaster_preparedness_and_recovery_planning_leverages_wimba_collaborative_s/ http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/disaster_preparedness_and_recovery_planning_leverages_wimba_collaborative_s/#When:11:58:51Z NEW YORK – May 27, 2009 – Wimba® Inc., the education technology company that helps people teach people, announced today that colleges and universities are leveraging Wimba’s collaborative software to prepare for and respond to crises that would otherwise disrupt communication or instruction. During instances of natural disaster, pandemics or security breaches where a physical campus may be closed, its infrastructure compromised or staff and students displaced, the ability to effectively communicate, deliver instruction and organize meetings without interruption is central to the disaster preparedness, recovery planning and financial safeguarding of universities and colleges.      Several customers have successfully activated their disaster recovery plans by leveraging Wimba collaboration and instant messaging technology in the unfortunate instances of fire, flooding, and pandemic preparedness.    Down But Not Out. ·       In April, Valley City State University in Valley City, North Dakota relied on Wimba Classroom™—a virtual classroom environment—to continue course delivery after the campus was shut down for a month following severe flooding from the Sheyenne River. ·       Last May, Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) in San Antonio turned to Wimba Pronto™—an academic-centric instant messaging system—to communicate with students, faculty and administrators after a fire burned down its main administrative building, destroying the university’s phone system.  “We were only closed one day,” says Raquel Moncado, Instructional Technology Specialist at Our Lady of the Lake University. “Classes resumed right away because of Lake Online, the name we gave our Blackboard system, and Wimba. Many professors conducted classes online from home. We had the tools and we knew how to use them, so we were prepared.” ·       In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, several nursing classes at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center relied on Wimba and other online course technologies to help deliver instruction to its students, despite the displacement of many and the fact that several campus buildings were completely non-operational.  Staying Ahead of Disaster. ·       The University of Utah recently produced and distributed a video entitled, “What If They Closed The Campus?” pointing its community to the tools available in the event of a disaster or outbreak such as Swine Flu. Available on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLdb0QWEfVs) it includes details about the use of course management systems and Wimba for uninterrupted communication. ·       Dalhousie University used Wimba Classroom for Nova Scotia’s Chief Medical Officer to update 150 members of the province’s medical community about the Swine Flu outbreak. “Wimba was the only technology that could ramp up almost immediately and be easily accessible by every physician in the province,” said Phil O’Hara, Assistant Director of Academic Computing Services at Dalhousie University. ·       The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) holds regular online meetings among its 14 campuses to discuss its disaster preparedness initiatives. “An increasing number of our customers employ Wimba’s collaborative technology for use beyond teaching and learning, including professional development, departmental meetings and disaster recovery planning,” said Carol Vallone, CEO and Chairman of the Board at Wimba.  “The disruption of learning and potential financial implications of tuition reimbursement in the wake of disaster are too significant to ignore.  Although we certainly hope no customer has to deploy its disaster recovery plan, we are pleased to be part of the solution when and if it becomes necessary.” The Wimba Collaboration Suite™—recently awarded the 2009 “Best Education Solution” CODiE award by the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA)—enhances learning, improves outcomes and increases student retention.  By combining interactive technologies such as voice, video, podcasting, instant messaging, application sharing, polling and whiteboarding, learning communities are empowered with a unique collaborative environment that fosters dynamic student-to-instructor, student-to-student and instructor-to-instructor interaction.     2009-05-27T11:58:51-05:00 http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/university_mobilizes_doctors_online_to_address_pandemic/ http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/university_mobilizes_doctors_online_to_address_pandemic/#When:13:04:51Z May 22, 2009 In an eerily prescient move, Dalhousie University was already planning an online meeting with Canadian physicians on pandemic preparedness when word of the swine flu outbreak reached organizers. The news hit close to home: Dalhousie University, a Canadian Ivy League school that is one of the country’s top research universities, is located in the province of Nova Scotia on Canada’s southeastern coast. Some swine flu cases had just been reported at a private school in the province after students returned from a trip to Mexico. As Tim Fedak, manager of distributed medical education for the division of medical education at Dalhousie, explained it, he had lined up Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer to give a general talk to doctors throughout the province on pandemics. Specifically, Fedak wanted to verify that online Webcasts could be used to communicate with physicians during a pandemic. The answer appears to be a resounding yes, after Fedak and Phil O’Hara, assistant director, teaching, for Dalhousie’s department of academic computing services, quickly pulled together a successful hour-plus give-and-take session on swine flu that drew more than 100 doctors. The participants, Nova Scotia physicians who were already working around the clock to deal with aspects of the outbreak, logged in via the Internet to participate in the audio and slide presentation. They used Wimba Classroom, communication software that facilitates online meetings and collaboration. Because of the high interest in the topic and corresponding high attendance, the session, which attracted a number of positive comments about the technology, turned into a golden opportunity to introduce area doctors to the ease of use and efficiency of meeting online. Participating in the session required downloading an applet, which doctors were encouraged to do before the event, and then signing in with a supplied user name and password. Attendees tuned in via broadband Internet connections--and even some dialup--for the evening presentation. Questions could be texted in using Wimba’s chat capabilities, or asked verbally through the system’s audio setup. An ID and password system confined the talk to Nova Scotia physicians only; Fedak wanted doctors to feel free to discuss the possible pandemic with the chief medical officer and with each other without worries of press leaks. The disease’s spread was still in its earliest stages and rumors were flying, including an early--and incorrect--citing of 107 deaths in Mexico City. (Just seven of those early deaths were subsequently definitely attributed to swine flu, O’Hara said.) “There was a lot of hysteria around,” O’Hara commented. “We wanted a closed environment to include just the doctors.” Despite the fact that most participants were first-time users, the support lines that O’Hara and Fedak carefully set up ahead of time to handle problems logged just a few questions before and during the event--a testament, both said, to Wimba’s ease of use. Dalhousie has been using Wimba for online collaboration efforts for years, allowing students to attend interactive classes and other events online using software features that include slide display, voice and chatting capabilities, white board emulation, polling participants, applications sharing, and live video. Fedak, who is in charge of distributed medical education in the province, said he envisions using Wimba to allow time-pressed doctors to save hours of travel time but still attend meetings and meet effectively with colleagues. Although the presentation hasn’t been fully analyzed, O’Hara said doctors from as much as three hours away attended--meaning significant savings in time and money. Also, he pointed out, the online meeting was planned and doctors invited almost instantly via e-mail--something that would have been impossible had a face-to-face meeting room been needed. That kind of almost-instant meeting planning can be extremely useful in future crises, O’Hara pointed out. The three presenting doctors met at Dalhousie shortly before the event. Literally minutes before the presentation, Fedak said, he was loading their Microsoft PowerPoint presentation slides into Wimba. Because Fedak and O’Hara were concerned that a high number of participants--given the timeliness of the topic--might push the technology beyond its limits, they turned off high-bandwidth features in Wimba such as video conferencing, except briefly. They also encouraged participants to congregate around a single Internet connection where possible. All in all, the event went off without a hitch, and Fedak is planning another Wimba online presentation in June, this one on avian flu. With luck, he added, the subject matter won’t be quite as timely. Read this article on the Campus Technology website Press Releases 2009-05-22T13:04:51-05:00 http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/wimba_collaboration_suite_wins_best_education_solution_2009_siia_codie_awar/ http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/wimba_collaboration_suite_wins_best_education_solution_2009_siia_codie_awar/#When:12:05:18Z NEW YORK – May 12, 2009 – Wimba® Inc., the education technology company that helps people teach people, announced that its Wimba Collaboration Suite™ won the “Best Education Solution” Award at the 2009 SIIA CODiE Finalist Showcase in San Francisco last week. The Software & Information Industry Association’s (SIIA) annual CODiE Awards celebrate outstanding achievement and vision in the software, digital information and education technology industries.“We are thrilled to have peers in the software industry bestow the Wimba Collaboration Suite with the “Best Education Solution’ Award,” said Carol Vallone, CEO and Chairman of the Board at Wimba. “As judges tested and reviewed the Suite they experienced the benefits of dynamic interaction and powerful collaboration that hundreds of thousands of instructors and students enjoy on a daily basis around the world. This acknowledgement of Wimba’s innovation and excellence is truly an honor.”  The Wimba Collaboration Suite enhances learning, improves outcomes and increases student retention.  By combining interactive technologies such as voice, video, podcasting, instant messaging, application sharing, polling and whiteboarding, students and teachers are empowered with a unique collaborative environment that fosters dynamic interaction between students and instructors as well as peer-to-peer communication between students and faculty.The Wimba Collaboration Suite was selected as a winner from among five other finalists in the Education Category after being reviewed and tested by a panel of eight industry experts.Nearly 190 judges encompassing tech trade journalists, consultants, educators, IT and product specialists, and other knowledgeable, yet neutral, experts participated in the review and selection of the 71 winners.  345 Finalists had been chosen from more than 850 nominations submitted by 600 companies representing outstanding software products and services.“Now in its 24th year, the CODiE Awards continue to recognize those companies providing the best new technology products and services across a broad array of industries,” noted SIIA President Ken Wasch. “In addition, its winners are a prolific testament to the power of technology to deliver innovative solutions to businesses and consumers. SIIA warmly congratulates all of the winners and nominees of the CODiE Awards, whose innovation is essential for continuing America’s leadership in the global knowledge economy,” Wasch continued.The Wimba Collaboration Suite includes: Wimba Classroom™ - a robust, virtual learning environment that includes audio, video, application sharing and content display. Wimba Pronto™ - the only instant messaging system designed for educators to advance and promote learning. Wimba Voice™ - an audio solution that supports traditional communicative styles of language learning - all online. Wimba Create™ - content authoring software that easily converts Word documents into content for online courses. 2009-05-12T12:05:18-05:00 http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/flood_forces_valley_city_state_university_to_finish_semester_completely_onl/ http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/flood_forces_valley_city_state_university_to_finish_semester_completely_onl/#When:20:17:01Z Posted on Thursday April 16, 2009 by The Chronicle of Higher Education Valley City State University officials decided yesterday to keep their campus closed for the rest of the semester, after flooding from the Sheyenne River prompted Valley City, N.D., to urge about half its residents to evacuate until the waters recede, which may not happen for two weeks. Although the university has not yet been flooded, most of the campus falls within the evacuation zone. Items on lower levels of some buildings are being moved, and the campus has experienced some damage from heavy trucks and construction of nearby makeshift levees. The damage, combined with the fact that the evacuation order may not be lifted until just two weeks before graduation, led the university to release a letter announcing that students would not return to the campus and classes would continue online. “All activities (athletic seasons, musical/theatrical performances, etc.) will be canceled the remainder of the semester. There are simply too many unknowns at this time, and with a two-week expected evacuation we do not have the ability to expect students back on campus. It has been agreed that we will continue with classes and finish the semester in whatever manner possible utilizing technology,” the letter reads. —Megan Eckstein Read the original story 2009-04-29T20:17:01-05:00 http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/wimba_and_moodlerooms_offer_integrated_and_optimized_moodle_solution/ http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/wimba_and_moodlerooms_offer_integrated_and_optimized_moodle_solution/#When:09:42:57Z NEW YORK and BALTIMORE – April 21, 2009 – Wimba® Inc., the education technology company that helps people teach people, and Moodlerooms, Inc., a Moodle Partner that provides tools and services for online learning, today announced a partnership that offers affordable, hosted implementations of the Wimba Collaboration Suite™ within Moodle, the world’s most widely used open-source online learning system.The Wimba Collaboration Suite 6.0 combines interactive technologies such as voice, video, podcasting, instant messaging, application sharing, polling and whiteboarding, to extend learning beyond the boundaries of the physical classroom. Wimba’s partnership with Moodlerooms makes this safe “virtual venue” easily accessible to teachers and students so they can improve student achievement, address multiple learning styles and participate in engaging, interactive courses online within Moodle.A growing number of universities and K-12 districts are adopting Moodle because of its affordability and flexibility. Moodle has more than 30 million users worldwide, many of which are active in its online community and help drive development. Because users play such a large part in Moodle’s evolution, it is extremely user-friendly and offers instructors and administrators features that continually expand to meet their growing online teaching and learning needs.City College of San Francisco, a joint customer of Wimba and Moodlerooms, supports its mission to enhance student learning and maintain a commitment to excellence with a Moodlerooms’ implementation of the Wimba Collaboration Suite.  “When it came time to choose a new course management system, we chose Moodle, hosted by Moodlerooms, partially because it could be integrated with web-based Wimba Voice,” said Carol Reitan, Instructor of French at City College of San Francisco. “Together, Wimba and Moodle facilitate real communication and community building across distances and sometimes several time zones. Using Wimba has really streamlined our online language courses."  The robust integration between the Wimba Collaboration Suite and Moodle ensures a seamless user experience and seamless collaboration. Using a single sign-on, students and faculty can access the Wimba Collaboration Suite the same way they would any other tool in Moodle – no additional usernames, passwords or URLs required. Moodle administrators also save time because accounts are automatically created from within Moodle.“We are delighted to be partnering with Wimba. The powerful collaboration and communication tools of the Wimba Collaborative Suite create a truly dynamic, blended learning environment,” explains Moodlerooms CEO Martin Knott. “The combination of Moodlerooms and Wimba allows users to synchronously see, hear and work with each other within their Moodle courses, just as they would in a traditional classroom – with the added convenience of not actually having to be in the same location.” “Our integration with Moodle enables educators to enjoy a rich, collaborative learning environment while also realizing the cost benefits and flexibility of an open-source platform,“ said Steve Kann, Co-Founder and Senior Vice President of Engineering at Wimba. “We are pleased that customers can now leverage Moodlerooms’ expertise and experience in developing Moodle environments through our partnership.”  Join Wimba and Moodlerooms on April 28 for a webinar that explains how institutions throughout the country that use Moodle can easily add these collaborative elements and make their online classes come alive. Sign-up now. To learn more about how you can benefit from this partnership please submit inquiries online.  About Moodlerooms (www.moodlerooms.com) Moodlerooms supports, expands and shares the possibilities of online learning. By combining tools, expertise, a proven process and a growing partner network, Moodlerooms provides a comprehensive online learning platform so educators can focus less on technology and more on teaching and learning. Simply stated, Moodlerooms makes online learning easier. 2009-04-21T09:42:57-05:00 http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/wimba_announces_wimba_collaboration_suite_60/ http://www.wimba.com/company/newsroom/archive/wimba_announces_wimba_collaboration_suite_60/#When:10:42:16Z SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Wimba Connect 2009 User Conference – April 7, 2009 – Wimba® Inc., the education technology company that helps people teach people, unveiled the Wimba Collaboration Suite™ 6.0 at its second annual users conference, “Wimba Connect 2009:  Adventures in Collaboration!"  Hundreds of attendees experienced the innovative new capabilities of Wimba Classroom™, Wimba Pronto™, and Wimba Voice™ - enhancements that defy the physical classroom and enrich the teaching and learning experience. The Wimba Collaboration Suite 6.0 features advanced MP4, whiteboarding and assessment functionality that will enable the hundreds of higher education institutions and K-12 districts around the world that rely on the Wimba Collaboration Suite to further enhance learning, improve outcomes and increase student retention. Wimba’s technology replicates and enriches the highly personal and dynamic elements of traditional classroom instruction in the online learning environment.“As a member of Wimba’s advisory council, I feel like I’ve had a hand in the development of these new features and am really excited about how they broaden the teaching and learning experience beyond even the ‘walls’ of a virtual classroom,” said Amy Thornton, Instructional Technologist at The University of Southern Mississippi.  “By offering instructors even more flexibility in how, where, and when they deliver content to students, we improve engagement and deliver on their expectations for a 21st century education. Both instructors and students benefit from this innovation.”Wimba Classroom 6.0 – Do more with your MP4 The new MP4 functionality of Wimba Classroom 6.0 gives instructors the power to distribute MP4 files, featuring digital audio and digital video streams of lectures and discussions, to course management systems (CMS), YouTube, iTunes University, Facebook, or other content management systems. Students gain tremendous flexibility in accessing content online or offline, from not only their computers but from their iPod, iPhone, or other MP4 players.  Providing content for review anytime, anyplace, irrespective of a student’s location, is no longer an option but required to effectively engage and retain 21st century learners. The ubiquitous use of computers and mobile devices on campuses all over the world and the increasing range of students who now fit the profile of a 21st century learner make this enhanced functionality especially significant in engaging students. These students have expectations of accessing classroom or lecture content with the same immediacy and flexibility with which they listen to music and obtain information from the Internet. Wimba Pronto 3.0 - Let the Whiteboard out of the Classroom Wimba Pronto 3.0 enriches teaching and learning by making the whiteboard accessible outside of the physical classroom and allowing students and professors to illustrate learning concepts during impromptu group study sessions and informal conversations. The Pronto whiteboard now includes the Wimba Instructional Gallery (WIG), a collection of learning objects and background templates such as the periodic table, calendars, maps, and graph paper, improving the traditional whiteboard and taking collaborative learning to a new level. Wimba Pronto is the only instant messaging platform designed for education with features that foster rich collaboration such as application sharing, blended audio and video conferencing, queued chat, and now, a state-of-the-art whiteboard. Wimba Voice 6.0 - Keep the Discussion Going…and Graded By using Wimba Voice to add comments to a discussion board, students can continue their discussions even after class has “officially” ended. The new 6.0 release of Wimba Voice allows instructors to not only grade a voice discussion board from within Wimba Voice but to automatically add these evaluations to the CMS gradebook. Assessment and timely feedback enrich the learning process and the efficiency of this workflow means instructors can focus on teaching rather than cumbersome administration.         “With Wimba Collaboration Suite 6.0 we continue to extend the reach of teaching and learning, eliminating constraints of the physical classroom,” said Steve Kann, Co-Founder and Senior Vice President of Engineering at Wimba. “Our new MP4, whiteboard, and assessment technologies equip educators and empower 21st-century learners by delivering content in formats they can use and review anytime, anywhere."  For more information on how the Wimba Collaboration Suite 6.0 can impact teaching and learning at your school or campus please visit:Solutions for K-12: www.wimba.com/solutions/k-12/ or Solutions for Higher Education: www.wimba.com/solutions/higher-education/ About WimbaWimba®, Inc. is a leading provider of collaborative learning software applications and services to the education industry. Our collaborative software applications for the online and blended education market enable institutions to bridge technology and pedagogy by supplementing learning management systems with many of the proven disciplines of in-person learning environments. Wimba’s intuitive solutions enable teachers and students to quickly and easily teach and learn live online, engage in live chat and instant message exchanges, benefit from oral content being added to text-based content, and more. Teachers can also use Wimba solutions to easily convert Microsoft Word documents into online content and to create and administer tests, quizzes, and exams. Our focus on education and collaboration with educators fuels our product development. For more information, please visit www.wimba.com or send an email to info@wimba.com. Wimba.  People Teach People.  www.wimba.com 2009-04-07T10:42:16-05:00