EmpoweredU, the mobile-first learning management system, today announced eleven pilot programs launching with universities and colleges throughout the country.

The Viterbi School of Engineering, the Rossier School of Education, and the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California, Clemson University, Davis College of Business at Jacksonville University, Texas Southern University, University of San Francisco, University of California at Irvine, University of California at San Diego, Southern Arkansas University, and Cambria-Rowe Business College will all partner with EmpoweredU to place students into a new mobile learning platform for classes.

EmpoweredU's mobile-first platform provides the tools, features, and ease of the iPad for a best-in-class mobile learning experience far different from other learning management systems. The pilot programs will allow students in select classes at these eleven schools to test out the mobile education technology.

A similar pilot program between EmpoweredU and the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley has just successfully transitioned the pilot phase into deployment. UCLA Extension has also deployed the EmpoweredU's mobile platform.

The EmpoweredU platform offers simple, common navigation for all classes and exploits the built-in functionalities and tools of a mobile device. This includes streaming content via the Internet, course site creation, on-line lectures, assignment, test administering, grading, user publishing, live chat, peer-to-peer interaction, discussion forum, development of student portfolios, messaging, and news and web-content access.

Even more importantly, EmpoweredU's mobile platform allows students to work offline on their studies, so that students can continue coursework even when outside of a WiFi zone.

"EmpoweredU's mission is to help universities provide learning anywhere, anytime, with any device. Our mobile learning platform offers a full solution to universities looking to embrace teaching and learning on the go," said EmpoweredU CEO Steve Poizner. "EmpoweredU's technology supports competency based learning, and extends the important instructor-based learning model across mobile devices. Not just by porting a design from the web, but by creating a simple, easy to use platform that is native to the mobile ecosystem."

The platform greatly enhances student-to-student collaboration and student-to-instructor communication. Students will be able to access the platform's mobile discussion boards and social learning tools. The mobile platform allows for audio, video, and essay creation. It also integrates key iPad features like Push Notifications and FaceTime. In addition to a standalone implementation, the mobile platform and support infrastructure is designed for easy integration with existing Student Information Systems (SIS) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems.

"I have reviewed several LMS applications and the platform by EmpoweredU is the best I've seen," said Dr. Jonathan Wolf, Director of Education at Cambria-Rowe Business College. "EmpoweredU moves away from the didactic model of many other LMS applications to a truly constructivist pedagogy, whereby students are engaged and eager to learn."

About EmpoweredU

EmpoweredU enables universities to deliver their highest quality academic or training courseware through our next-generation mobile learning environment. Thanks to low-cost and feature-rich mobile devices, broadband, and recently developed interactive and engaging learning platforms, today's online education is vastly different than the self-paced videos and instructor-disconnected online education of the past.

Learn more at www.empoweredu.com

EmpoweredU:
Courtney Gartin, 408-623-5083
cgartin@empoweredu.com