A swift end to in-person classes was the furthest thing from any of our minds as 2020 began. Then, like a perpetual domino effect, schools and universities were forced to shut their doors. Next, came the scramble to find the right online learning platforms to supplement (or temporarily replace) in-person, face-to-face instruction. Currently, program administrators are seeing adult English language learners deal with unique challenges as they confront issues of access, tackle varying levels of digital literacy, and learn how to navigate 100% virtual programs in a language that is not yet familiar. Adjusting to a new online-only curriculum can seem daunting for learners and instructors alike. As the current pandemic continues, educational leaders are also questioning: “how long will this last?”
This is why we wanted to highlight the success of the University of Maryland.
Somber news is all around us but what’s currently happening at the University of Maryland (UMD) is a bright spot. Led by innovative thinking, the University decided to launch several Voxy pilot programs which have recently been extended. Through the partnership with Voxy, English language learners at the University of Maryland now have access to task-based learning materials allowing them to study on their computers or phones. This convenience of accessing learning materials anytime and any place is critical, especially to the essential workers who are also participating in the program.
Since 2016, hundreds of learners have continued to use Voxy at UMD. In fact, the escalation of the COVID pandemic represents “the first time Voxy will have been used across an entire institution and all of its populations”—including faculty, staff and students, said Mariah Bauer, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Deputy Director of the University’s Administrative Modernization Program (AMP). UMD, Baltimore, is also in the process of making Voxy available to the surrounding community.
Interested in more of Voxy’s positive impact on the University of Maryland? Read this recent case study.
