ASU Online named Product of the Year by Pearson Higher Ed
ASU Online has been awarded the prestigious Pearson Product of the Year award by Pearson Higher Education, a leading education services company that provides educational materials, technologies, assessments and related services to their partners.
The accolade marks the first time in the award’s history that a service-based educational partnership has received the Product of the Year Award rather than a piece of educational content, such as a textbook or software.
“The partnership that we have with ASU was seen as so groundbreaking in terms of its academic ambition, business model and a technology capabilities, that it was an upset winner of the Product of the Year Award,” said Matt Leavy, CEO of Pearson. “We are working to improve student achievement and fill the demand for a higher quality education in an online format. We found a perfect partner in ASU to do that.”
Referred to as the “Third Way” Partnership, ASU Online and Pearson combine the components of in-person classes and advances of online software to provide a more supportive online learning environment. This innovative approach combines the benefits of “The First Way” – a traditional, on-campus, research-based environment – with “The Second Way,” which provides access to education and scalability through online learning options. This synthesis known as “The Third Way” combines the benefits of each learning modality, thus aiming to change the world of online education.
While ASU faculty design the curriculum and teach the courses, Pearson monitors and analyzes trends in student performance, tracks the achievement of learning objectives and goals, and provides enrollment support services to students. The pair, then, works together to enhance marketing, online advising and recruiting efforts based on the ASU brand.
“With Pearson’s help we have been able to accelerate growth, increase retention and provide our students with the foundation and resources to succeed,” said Philip Regier, executive vice provost and dean of ASU Online.
ASU Online seeks to continue to extend their reach of prospective students and provide better access to a quality online education in a traditionally classroom-based model. The achievements strategically align with ASU President Michael Crow’s vision for projected growth and expanded access to education.
There are currently more than 50 program offered entirely online, and approximately 4,000 students are enrolled in ASU Online. For a complete list of degrees, visit http://asuonline.asu.edu.