Wimba Classroom at NIU

Use of Wimba Classroom Jason Rhode, Assistant Director Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center January 29, 2009

A Few Facts About NIU

Main campus in DeKalb, IL located 65 miles West of Chicago

Total enrollment: 25,254 (Fall 2007)

22,768 on-campus students

18,495 undergraduates

3,948 graduate students

325 law students

2,486 students attend classes at NIU's off-campus locations

1,279 faculty

Student to faculty ratio: 17 to 1

40 academic departments; 63 undergraduate majors ; 79 graduate programs

Average undergraduate student age: 22

Average graduate student age: 33

16% of NIU's undergraduates are non-traditional students over the age of 23

91% from Illinois

27 percent ethnic minorities

Close to 1,000 international students representing about 100 countries

Blackboard Usage at NIU

72% of NIU faculty use Blackboard

91% of NIU students use Blackboard

Journey Thus Far… NIU Announces Strategic Planning Initiative 10/07 Concept paper submitted for pilot phase funding 11/07 Inquiry begins into available synchronous collaboration tools 9/07 Demo to Council of Deans 1/08 2/08 Funding for pilot phase approved 3/08 Documentation page for NIU created Implementation with Bb Pilot began 2-day onsite training 8/08 Pilot ended (~50 faculty/staff) Survey of NIU faculty who used tool Pilot Phase 9/08 WC available for all NIU courses using Bb

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