Online Classes Connect Students During Hurricane

Students at Loyola University may still be able to access their classes if the school is hit by hurricane Gustav.

Computerworld (off-site link) reports:

"Since Katrina, the school has also moved its course management system online and has it hosted remotely so that students can continue their classes over the Internet in the event the campus is closed during an emergency. "What we're trying to do is make sure the educational process is not interrupted," he said. "We're not a distance learning campus per se, but we're using some of those technologies." With the approach of Gustav, the university's IT department and its disaster recovery vendor have been put on alert mode, Jacobs said."

This is a certainly a smart use of online learning. While a few days off of school may not be a big deal, a major emergency can leave students unable to complete weeks of work. Now, instead of wondering what to do with unfinished courses, students may be able to earn their credits from wherever they are.

Hopefully, Loyola students won't need to make use of this online learning system. But, it's reassuring to know that a backup is available.

See Also: Distance Learning for Katrina Victims