More than 1,800 courses are delivered online through Oregon State University Ecampus. Every quarter, more come online.
Interactive multimedia tools and simulations — from virtual microscopes to interactive pollinator maps — help shape the learning experience, allowing students to explore, experiment and master concepts once considered too complex to teach online.
Oregon State Ecampus multimedia developers are always looking for ways to refine and improve their media assets, even holding hackathons to brainstorm new ways to solve common problems.
The result: a full-featured experience rooted in innovation and collaboration.
Enhancing online course design
Oregon State has long been a leader in multimedia development as part of the online course design process.
“We always characterize our media as a way to bring ideas and concepts to life,” said Karen Watté, the senior director of course development and training for Oregon State Ecampus. “Media helps students really understand the topics and ideas that faculty are trying to share. I think they are essential to creating a robust learning experience for students.”
Each project begins as a collaboration between Oregon State faculty and Ecampus instructional designers. As they develop a course for online delivery, the team identifies moments where a visual or interactive element could bring abstract concepts into focus.
Next, Ecampus multimedia developers take over. Nick Harper, an Ecampus senior developer, said some projects take eight to 10 weeks of design, coding and testing. But the results for a single course can benefit an entire cohort of students, and sometimes instructors, across multiple disciplines.
How multimedia supports students and instructors
Research conducted by the Oregon State Ecampus Research Unit suggests that both creativity and technology skills are critical for success in online teaching — and they’re not always easy to develop. Collaboration with Ecampus instructional designers and multimedia developers helps instructors new to online teaching effectively connect with students.
“Media helps students really understand the topics and ideas that faculty are trying to share. I think they are essential to creating a robust learning experience for students.”
Instructors aren’t the only ones who benefit. Oregon State’s online students often fit in coursework between caring for family, working or both. Multimedia developers look for ways to present course information clearly for an audience that may be juggling several demands at once.
Experiential learning examples
Oregon State’s excellence in multimedia development is rooted in years of innovation, including national award-winning online biology and chemistry labs, which helped to redefine what complex subjects could look like in an online environment.
“The courses look so different now than they did, say, 10 to 15 years ago. It’s really a very rich learning environment,” Watté said. “Previously, online learning was very much text-based. But now, every module can have something that’s interactive and highly engaging in it.”
These are some examples of what that innovation looks like in practice at Oregon State, as explained by the Ecampus developers who worked on the projects.
“We showcase our projects because once we build one, we don’t need to start from scratch for the next. And we find that instructors who see a successful asset often want a variation of it for their course,” Harper said.
Virtual microscopes
Wood as a Sustainable Material for the Future I (WHE 523)
Students examine the macro and microfeatures of wood, developing a deep understanding of how a tree’s structure can influence the performance and lifespan of wood products.
“The slides were captured in pieces by the instructor, and we stitched them together to create larger images for each magnification level, allowing students to navigate using a virtual stage and lenses,” Harper explained.
Explore the tool
Mathematical modeling
Climate Science (ATS 201)
Students study the physical laws that govern the Earth’s climate and use modeling exercises to determine how shifts in climate could impact natural and human systems.
“I built this activity around a simple energy-balance model, using real planetary data and physics-based calculations. I wanted the app to feel hands-on and playful, encouraging students to experiment. I think the ’90s pixel-art aesthetic added a fun element to learning an abstract concept,” said Christopher Patenaude, an analyst programmer at Oregon State Ecampus.
Explore the tool
Hands-on simulations
Plant Propagation (HORT 310)
This advanced course focuses on methods and techniques students might use in a laboratory, nursery, greenhouse or orchard to start new plants from cuttings. Students use this virtual tool to adjust factors such as light levels, heat and water availability and measure how virtual geranium cuttings react.
“We used Blender to construct hundreds of frames of growth, then built a logical framework to show the appropriate image when user selections were made,” Harper explained.
Explore the tool
Virtual field work
Highway Location and Design (CE 365)
Engineering students learn how curves can lead to safety issues, especially when drivers also encounter objects that block the view or intersections that they don’t expect.
“I stitched hundreds of high-resolution images into a handful of spherical panoramas to recreate the on-campus field site as a browser-based 3D construction zone. Students can use a virtual surveying instrument to measure angles and distances, then stake out highway curves, exactly as they would in the physical lab, but from anywhere in the world,” said Victor Zellweger, an OSU Ecampus analyst programmer. “I also included real-time tools for instructors to monitor students’ progress and pinpoint where they might need help.”
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Interactive maps
Pollinators in Peril (HORT 331)
Students learn about bees, butterflies and other pollinators around the world and understand how climate change, pesticides, habitat fragmentation and more are causing their decline.
“The instructor provided a list of more than 94 pollinators, including their species, range, conservation status and the biomes to display on a world map. I created and populated the map with these pollinators to show where they live, allowing students to explore a 2D map and find information about each species’ distribution and associated biomes,” said Mateo Estrada Jorge, an OSU Ecampus analyst programmer.
Explore the tool
Learn more about online education at Oregon State
Ecampus courses are designed from the ground up for online learners. In addition to digital media assets, Oregon State’s online classroom may feature interviews, interactive quizzes, learning glass lectures and other engaging tools that support student success. See how these components come together to elevate the online learning experience.
