Ohio State joins group to create, share digital content with other universities

Massarah Mikati
Fri, 30 Jan 2015 03:27:27 +0000
Area, Campus, National, online, Online class, osu, technology, UNIZIN

Credit: Courtesy of TNS

Ohio State has joined other major universities nationwide in the educational consortium, Unizin, to enhance shared technology-supported learning experiences between schools.

A common cloud-based infrastructure, Unizin is a way to create and share digital content within and among universities.

Subscribed members of Unizin’s consortium are able to save digital course content, have access to software tools for flipped technology-based classrooms, online courses and more, and improve educational initiatives with analytical services. Member universities are also able to share course content and other digital files with other schools.

Unizin is membership-based and funded by member investments. The service is governed by the institutions that use it and is a non-profit service operator, according to its website.

Mike Hofherr, OSU’s chief information officer and a vice president, said in an email that the Unizin consortium is a way for OSU to continue its leadership in educational technology.

“We joined Unizin to be part of the conversation around digital course content, course software and course analytics happening in higher education,” he said. “We hope to drive the dialogue and conversation.”

Executive Vice President and Provost Joseph Steinmetz said he believes joining the Unizin consortium will allow OSU to improve its education.

“Joining Unizin will provide numerous benefits and will give us new opportunities to leverage best practices in teaching and learning,” Steinmetz said in an email. “It will strengthen our ability to navigate a rapidly evolving landscape through our partnerships with other universities.”

Other universities in the consortium include Colorado State University, Indiana University, the University of Florida and the University of Michigan. The consortium is currently made up of ten universities, according to its website.

The first meeting of the Unizin consortium is set to take place next month, said Katharine Keune, a spokeswoman for the OCIO.

Hofherr said joining the consortium will not affect the university’s usage of Carmen.