Benefits of a Virtual Classroom

Online education is having a moment. Now more than ever, virtual classrooms are in high demand. With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing schools across the country to close their buildings, many institutions are rushing to convert their classes to an online-only format.

Our MBA program has long embraced the virtual classroom, offering 100 percent online courses that can be accessed anytime, anywhere, from any device. Students log in to a learning management system, or LMS. This digital classroom environment features cutting-edge technology designed to help students spend less time learning the technology and more time learning the content. Let’s take a look at how our customized LMS stands out from other virtual classrooms.

Mobility is one of the defining characteristics of virtual classrooms: With just an internet connection, your course is wherever your computer is. But our LMS goes a step further. Educational content is crafted to fit screen sizes of all shapes, including smartphones. Learners and instructors can use their preferred device to access learning content, course dashboards, and even document files from anywhere they choose—even on vacation.

Imagine being able to work out at the gym while listening to assigned podcast interviews with Silicon Valley business professionals. Learning online no longer means students are glued to a desktop or laptop for hours on end. With our LMS, students can download PDF readings, review video lectures, and respond to discussion posts on the go, which is critical for working students and those with families who have limited time.

Learning is about the journey, not the destination. In our Online MBA program, each course offers bespoke learning paths, referred to as modules, which gradually build upon students’ knowledge and skills in a carefully arranged sequence. You might even call it a journey. These learning paths are structured in the LMS with focused learner objectives that guide students’ concentration; appropriate academic resources and a combination of synchronous and asynchronous learning activities prepare students to perform at a higher level.

Asynchronous options allow students to work at their own pace and engage with the material when it’s convenient for them while still observing weekly deadlines. With synchronous options, students must plan in advance and use collaboration tools in the LMS in addition to video conferencing to achieve success together. As a result, students practice greater self-discipline and learn valuable time management and communication skills that will aid them in their future careers. These skills may prove especially valuable as the world shifts more and more toward remote workplaces in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

We understand the needs of our student learners. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 15 percent of the world’s population lives with some form of disability. To address student needs, we designed a customized LMS with an intuitive student experience. This multimedia-rich learning environment displays dynamic text and image content made compatible with screen readers; all faculty-produced audio and video media are presented with necessary captions and transcripts; and all font and color combinations meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.

With our custom navigation, students keep track of their progress, including where they left off, where they have been, and where they need to go next. User-friendly dashboards help organize course communications, assignments, grades, and all learning paths. By keeping everything the student needs housed in one virtual classroom, students stay focused on what matters most.

The virtual classroom environment means you’ll be communicating with classmates via Zoom and in digital forums instead of huddled around a desk; it is not likely that you will visit the campus until graduation. However, that doesn’t mean you need to feel like an outsider. In the Online MBA program from CSUMB, you are as much of an Otter as any student who sets foot in a physical classroom.

With our customized LMS, we ensure you are reminded of your educational community status every time you log in. With a custom-built sign-in page, homepage, and visual layout, students feel part of the broader CSUMB network with Otter-branded logos, fonts, colors, and images. You can also maintain constant communication and collaboration on group projects and discussions, which allows you to forge deep and authentic bonds with your classmates. Hear more about our tightly knit cohorts from the 2018 Outstanding MBA Graduate award winner, Allison Bradley.

Our Online MBA program aims to build a multicultural learning community founded on academic excellence. Online MBA programs tend to attract students located across the U.S. and the world. Your cohort members will invariably have different perspectives and diverse cultural backgrounds. Diverse cohorts empower students to cultivate a global business mindset. Graduates have a better comprehension of how business contexts differ across the globe and can leverage their broad network to pursue business opportunities from around the world. You’ll gain insights into numerous industries and the way business is conducted in different cultures. The way another classmate thinks critically and solves a problem may even change the way you approach issues at work.

Not everything one learns comes from a book. In addition to traditional academic resources, our personalized courses include interactive learning tools tailor-made for students to practice and self-assess their academic progress. Branching scenarios, simulations, polls and surveys, and peer collaboration test students’ decision-making in a highly reflective online learning environment.

While students should still expect to write the occasional paper, our assignments and instructional activities take on a variety of forms in order to appeal to different learning styles. Our emphasis on group learning activities, including presentations, case studies, and analyses, benefits our career-minded students and enables them to practice building and maintaining business relationships in a supportive environment. Since networking is often one of the primary motivations for pursuing an MBA, students will come away from our program connected to a widely dispersed network of potential future colleagues who can attest to their strengths and skills.

While most educational institutions scramble to meet demands for online learning in a socially distanced world, make the most of your time at home with the established Online MBA from CSUMB. Our campus is nestled along the beautiful shores of Monterey Bay in California—but you can find our program right at your fingertips.