Created through the sponsorship of the North Carolina Area Health Education Center Program, North Carolina AHEConnect ^sm is a generically branded learning management system that provides a full ASP solution for accredited online courses created by AHEC partners across the state.  Learners create their own authenticated user account, which allows for secure and easy access to personalized course management and maintains a transcript record of course credit. Learners are able to register online, 24 hours a day,  from any internet accessible computer, use a credit card to safely pay for courses on a secure server, and receive instant access to course content by reliable health education faculty. 

North Carolina AHEConnect ^sm offers a flexible, modular course taxonomy that makes use of multimedia components to present content in a format that is both interesting and engaging. Online course examinations are automatically scored and remedial feedback displayed. Personalized certificates of credit completion are available for printing upon course completion.  

Course Development Features 

Greensboro AHEC is equipped to manage the course development process from beginning to end. Drawing on a wealth of expertise in healthcare education and the relationships we have forged in the past with faculty subject experts affords us a unique ability to work communicatively and collaboratively with content authors in all major healthcare disciplines. We are able to coordinate and facilitate peer review teams when needed to assess the relevancy and accuracy of content. Our talented Course Development Team is equipped to assist with modifying instructional materials designed for print or classroom delivery to online or computer-based instruction. 

Instructional Design:

 The Greensboro AHEC Course development team will work with content subject experts to facilitate the delivery of content in a manner that maximizes the learning potential for the medium. The AHEC draws collaboratively on AHEC resources throughout the state to test and ensure that user interface designs adhere to the principles of adult learning theory. We also work to ensure that design elements are appropriate for the level of technologies available to the designated target audience and employ best practices for development in web-base or computer-based learning formats. Options exist for adding interactive components such as case studies, reviews, simulations, games; for adding additional resources such as glossary, reference links, documents and forms; and establishing online communities through discussion group and author mentoring sessions. 

Graphic Design: 

A full-time Master’s level graphic designer is available to ensure presentation of portal and course content in a visually appealing manner that creates interest, increases retention and enhances the learning process. We will work with the content expert to ensure that we are able to create custom medical illustrations and animations, and to manipulate and alter computerized graphic images or photographs. FLASH animation can be used to create interactive course elements when end-user technology allows. 

Multi-media Production: 

Our photography studio is equipped with state of the art broadcast quality digital photography, video and audio capturing equipment. Mobile units are equipped for on-location shooting to capture images that are integral to course design. Narration and scripting services are also available. Non-linear Media 100 digital editing equipment creates complex multi-media components that enhance the quality of course content. Courses can be produced for delivered completely through multimedia as a computer-based learning, on a CD, DVD, or compressed for Internet delivery to those who have access to ISDN or better connectivity.  

Web based Programming:

A full-time programmer is available to create custom components or full-blown applications to ensure that the features you want in your course are available to your learners. Customized SQL databases can be designed for data collection and outcome measurement. Course web sites can be integrated with elements that utilize HTML, ASP, Visual Basic and other server-side programming code to maximize both instructor functionality and learner efficiency.