Convene
Encyclopedia
Convene is an early distance learning company and currently the largest company in that market. The software company was founded in the late 1980s by Larry Allen when he created collaborative seminary training programs. Although Convene still has collaborative software for use by some 15,000 religious leaders, it expanded into an international distance learning software company in 1993. It uses specialized software to facilitate online classes for over 100 universities.
Between 1989 and 1993, Allen discussed the company with Jeffery Stein, who had founded an information process company called On-Line Business Systems. Working with Reda Athanasios, Stein, buoyed by his experience founding a computer-based service company, played the largest role in turning the early software company into Convene International. As part of its transformation, the company began offering asynchronous distance learning
software in Windows (instead of DOS) and eventually added 24/7 phone tech support. The first major client to offer the service was the University of Phoenix
online campus, then in its fledgling years. Convene then expanded to over 45,000 students at more than 100 universities in the United States and elsewhere.
Stein left the company in 2000 to form a corporate advisory services company, Peyton Investmentshttp://www.peytoninvestments.com. He is currently the chair of the IT History Society
. In 2002, the Learning Technology Partners, a similar company, bought Convene for an undisclosed sum.
Convene International
Asynchronous learning
Asynchronous learning is a student-centered teaching method that uses online learning resources to facilitate information sharing outside the constraints of time and place among a network of people. Asynchronous learning is based on constructivist theory, a student-centered approach that...
software in Windows (instead of DOS) and eventually added 24/7 phone tech support. The first major client to offer the service was the University of Phoenix
University of Phoenix
The University of Phoenix is a for-profit institution of higher learning. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Apollo Group Inc. which is publicly traded , an S&P 500 corporation based in Phoenix, Arizona...
online campus, then in its fledgling years. Convene then expanded to over 45,000 students at more than 100 universities in the United States and elsewhere.
Stein left the company in 2000 to form a corporate advisory services company, Peyton Investmentshttp://www.peytoninvestments.com. He is currently the chair of the IT History Society
IT History Society
The IT History Society is an organization that supports the history and scholarship of information technology by encouraging, fostering, and facilitating archival and historical research...
. In 2002, the Learning Technology Partners, a similar company, bought Convene for an undisclosed sum.
Sources
- Jeffery R. Young. "Distance Education Transforms Help Desks Into '24-7' Operations" The Chronicle of Higher EducationThe Chronicle of Higher EducationThe Chronicle of Higher Education is a newspaper and website that presents news, information, and jobs for college and university faculty, staff members and administrators....
. May 26, 2000. Retrieved September 14, 2007. - Ann Hill. "One Company’s Impact On The World Of On-Line Learning" ALN Magazine. March 1998. Retrieved September 14, 2007.
- Ann Hill. "Convene Appoints Reda S. Athanasios President and Chief Operating Officer" (Press Release). Business WireBusiness WireBusiness Wire is a company that disseminates full-text news releases from thousands of companies and organizations worldwide to news media, financial markets, disclosure systems, investors, information web sites, databases and other audiences. The company distributes news via its own patented...
. August 25, 1998. Retrieved September 14, 2007. - "Learning Technology Partners buys Convene" San Francisco Business Times. September 5, 2002. Retrieved September 14, 2007.