Ferris State Interim Director of eLearning Andrew Peterson stands inside the new $32
million Center for Virtual Learning.
Ferris State University’s new Center for Virtual Learning will be a state-of-the-art resource for professors to learn innovative approaches to leading online classes.
Online classes are vitally crucial as Ferris State reaches out to students of all ages across the state, helping them gain an education while scheduling around home and work responsibilities.
“The need for online training has gone through the roof, and we are excited to support our faculty’s ability to connect their students with academic concepts through eLearning,” said Andrew Peterson, Ferris State’s interim director of eLearning.
The $32 million facility opens this month as a hub for several of Ferris State’s innovative academic programs. Besides the eLearning team, the 64,000-square-foot center will include the School of Digital Media, Information Security and Intelligence, and the School of Education. The facility includes the Esports Arena, the first facility in Michigan designed and built for that purpose.
Peterson said some faculty members who began their eLearning journey out of necessity now collaborate with his office to optimize their instruction and create a better student experience.
“We have moved from the ‘getting it done’ mentality brought on by COVID-19 to how course materials can be accentuated and improved,” Peterson said. “The alignment between Ferris’ resources, with eLearning in the CVL, and the impact it will have on student learning is coming together. This collaboration is exciting for everyone.”
Peterson said working with students online and in hybrid settings differs from working together in a classroom. His team can help professors better demonstrate their passion for the content and engage with students in online environments.
At the core of its mission, Ferris State’s eLearning team supports faculty to help enhance student success through high-quality course design and technology.
In March 2020, as COVID-19 changed the world, Ferris State students, faculty and staff transitioned to online learning. The eLearning team had to shift gears but transitioned to a 100 percent remote work environment while simultaneously assisting faculty and students to do the same.
Online classes have remained a popular option for many students. Peterson said the team will support faculty members as the university expands opportunities in Student Success Hubs across the state, assisting students taking classes and receiving services away from the Big Rapids campus.
The office also will help Ferris State grow its international programs, assisting professors to connect with students worldwide.
Peterson expects the Center for Virtual Learning to strengthen these efforts in a physical hub designed to support Ferris State’s learning metaverse, providing a technologically advanced space for educators and students. The new center consolidates the eLearning team’s offerings.
“We have offered our training in ad hoc spaces on campus, being flexible and supportive to our faculty contacts, but it was difficult to bring consistency to our offerings and academic experiences,” Peterson said. “The simple aspect of presence for faculty instruction in this dedicated home and space will be very satisfying for our team and instructors.”
Extended and International Operations’ centralized faculty service begins in late August, as the Center for Virtual Learning opens officially with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, Aug. 31.
Click eLearning for more information about its work at Ferris State, including resources for faculty and staff.