How Online Courses are Leveling the Playing Field For Student Participation at University of Bahamas
The University of The Bahamas stands as a beacon of innovative teaching, embracing online courses and tools from OnMusic Companion (OMC) to democratize music education across its island nation.
Educator Story
Professor Gangelhoff’s Journey with OnMusic Companion
Professor Gangelhoff’s journey with OnMusic Companion showcases the transformative power of technology in education. By leveraging OMC's features, she not only overcame geographical barriers but also enhanced student engagement and performance.
First
Time teachers can edit digtal textbooks
7
C4E Courses taught in two semesters
130
Students taught in two semesters
Enhanced
Students reported impact of online learning tools
THE CHALLENGE
Building a Comprehensive Online Music Program with Limited Resources
Professor Christine Gangelhoff, a dedicated music educator at the University of The Bahamas, faced the challenge of delivering high-quality music education to students spread across different islands. With limited resources and the need for flexibility in teaching modalities, she sought a solution that could bridge the gap between traditional classroom learning and remote instruction.
About the Professor
Professor Christine Gangelhoff She has a doctoral degree in music and has worked as an online instructor and instructional designer in higher education. She serves as a woodwinds professor at the University of The Bahamas, where she teaches applied lessons, music theory, Caribbean music, and survey of world music. Her dedication to providing quality education reflects the ethos of the institution, which prioritizes accessibility and excellence in learning.
School Background
The University of The Bahamas, as the national public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth, is recognized for its commitment to fostering leadership, learning, and service within a diverse Bahamian community.
The music program, part of the Faculty of Liberal and Fine Arts, aims to develop musical talents and provide performance experience. As of recently, the institution has sought to enhance online learning, both to reach more students and enhance the quality of learning.
The Solution
C4E’s OnMusic Companion
“I've found the OnMusic Companion platform to be a transformative resource, especially for students in remote locations who normally couldn't access the resources of our main campus. Its flexibility in course customization, paired with an extensive library of music assets, enabled me to create an engaging World Music course that successfully connected students from multiple islands. The adaptability and resourcefulness of OnMusic Companion have been pivotal in simplifying online course delivery and democratizing music education across our island nation.”
THE RESULTS
Expanding Their Reach
Implementing OMC revolutionized Professor Gangelhoff’s teaching approach. Here's what she had to say about her experience.
Increased Student Engagement
"Students are much happier to stay on one platform. Their performance has also improved."
Wider Reach
With OMC, Professor Gangelhoff successfully reached students from remote locations, enhancing their learning experience and improving academic outcomes.
One Platform
"I loved the fact that everything was all on one platform – content, media, assignments, and practice material."
UB Students ❤️ C4E!
Student: Tashae
My experience with the OMC site was a good one, I do not have any negative thoughts on it. It was easy to navigate. This site also helped me stay organized and on top of what was coming up and its due date. If I were to compare the site to any traditional textbook, I would rate this site a 10/10 simply because I love the online music texts because I can read about the different topics, see pictures listen to the music that they create, and then answer the 10 questions that are asked. Also, I love how the information is straight to the point and some topics are broken into 2 parts therefore it’s either Quiz 1 or Quiz 2 really appreciate that. The content of each topic was very engaging. It showed images of the musical instruments and some dances they do. I feel like this helped my organization and my grades to be on point because it wasn’t too much information, it was just right. As I end this Music class for the semester, I would encourage teachers to use this site for better time management, organization, grades, visuals and many many more reasons why.
Student: Turqoise, Student in Music theory III
For a first-time user of C4E Compannion, my overall opinion is rather positive. The platform is simple and straightforward to maneuver and the music lessons are engaging. However, my only challenge was when it came to submitting an answer for an assessment, the system was very precise not leaving any room for a margin of error. Overall, the platform is user friendly. --Turqoise
Student: Charnique
During my time in the music course, I was introduced to the OMC platform to learn different musical styles and complete chapter quizzes. Even though I was unfamiliar with the platform, I was able to access the material smoothly as everything was accessible due to its layout. The content provided in each chapter was engaging as it went in depth to provide readers with a proper understanding of the genre in question. The only issue I've stumbled on with the platform pertains to the quizzes. I'm accustomed to answering either correctly or incorrectly after completing all of the results shown when I click on the next question. However, with OMC, one has to check the answer first to see if it is correct or not. Additionally, if you don't check the answer then it will appear to be incomplete. In that regard, it took some time to get used to but overall it is a great platform.
Student: Charis
Personally, I really like OMC more than other websites used for student learning. The way that the program is designed for easy use, and how you can set the test differently compared to Moodle. Plus, everything is easily accessible.
Student: Pheromone, Student in Music Theory III
The OMC (OnMusic Companion) website has been a great tool during this semester. It is easy to navigate with topics and subtopics listed. The music lectures were pretty straightforward, and it is helpful that written and auditory examples are given to appease various types of learners. I really liked the fact that the homework assignments gave a review of what you did after you're done so you would know what needs work and what doesn't.
Student: Eyvonne
OMC for online music courses is a one-stop shop, everything is convenient and within reach. The content provided by the platform Omc was captivating and attainable simultaneously. The listening examples were clear.
Student: Nyah
I liked the OMC platform; it was very easy to use. The feature that allows you to track your progress is great, and each music lesson had a lot of audio examples that I enjoyed listening to. The content was not boring, in fact it was rather interesting. Sometimes the quizzes would shake on the screen, but overall, the experience was exciting and enjoyable. However, I would've liked if you can track how many questions you've completed without clicking the tab, like if it was already on the screen without bothering the quiz content.
Student: Sherrina
To the music text book platform was actually really helpful. Especially after completing assignments you get tick off so it felt like you are moving ahead. Also, glad that I could go ahead and knock out a lot of the assignments early on after i was done reading the chapters. However i would have liked if we were able to get little notifications about the due date of the assignments/quizzes just in case or as reminder but overall it was an 8/10.
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