For most colleges with multiple campuses, connecting separate locations is a challenge, but Central Georgia Technical College (CGTC), located in Macon, GA, faces a taller order than most: its campus systems extends across 12 counties that total the size of Delaware state!

To address lower-than-average student retention rates CGTC decided to reevaluate its teaching model. In the past, the college allowed students to take courses via traditional face-to-face instruction, online courses, or a hybrid model of the latter and former. However, students were not allowed to switch options, so when a student's schedule changed for any reason, many were forced to drop classes altogether. This issue affected CGTC's retention rate and limited students' academic opportunities.

To address its instruction model, the school developed a new educational model called BlendFlex learning.

BlendFlex relies on integrated course delivery and allows students to choose the right learning method for their needs. To make BlendFlex work, CGTC needed to implement advanced conferencing technologies to make sure students choosing online or hybrid learning options had access to all of the school's academic assets.

CGTC deployed Cisco TelePresence, Jabber, and WebEx to provide an integrated and comprehensive virtual learning environment. To build its BlendFlex vision, CGTC implemented 81 Cisco TelePresence units throughout its campuses across six years to accommodate up to 150 simultaneous sessions and link its multiple locations.

Students can now easily access class content, case study discussions, and live interviews from work or from home. They can also take classes online by watching faculty lectures and other course content that are now available remotely. Whether it's synchronously or asynchronously, weekly or by topic, students are learning in the manner that's easiest for them.

To read more about the great benefits CGTC is seeing as a result of its new blended learning network, read the full case study. And check out how your college or university can create blended or distance learning environments on its own campuses here.