When User Experience Improves, Equity and Community Thrive
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes (OLLI) is a national network of 124 programs supported by the Bernard Osher Foundation, whose mission is to provide meaningful educational, cultural, and social experiences for adults 55+. Furman University, located in Greenville, South Carolina, boasts one of the largest OLLI programs in the nation, serving more than 2,500 senior adults each year. OLLI@Furman is a member-driven community of learners that offers an engaging and intellectually enriching curriculum of more than 130 courses per semester, and their members proudly embody OLLI’s motto, “Where Learning Never Retires!”
The Challenge
Despite OLLI@Furman’s success, many local learners and volunteers (most aged 55+) expressed frustration with the online course registration process. Issues such as frozen screens and error messages created a heavy reliance on phone support and in-person registration, placing additional burdens on staff and volunteers. And, since most OLLI classes are 100% in-person by design, would-be participants with a preference for organic, face-to-face learning may have been put off by technology blockers before they even began.
Furman’s leadership was also concerned that the challenges of registration gave an unfair advantage to more tech-savvy members. While some struggled simply to enroll, their more technologically advanced peers worked the system to secure spots in popular courses. A more user-friendly registration process would reduce barriers and support greater learner equity.
Partnership with Noodle
Furman’s leadership listened to the concerns of members, staff, volunteers, and the community and resolved to address their issues. Embracing a learner-centered approach, the Furman team further committed to adopting a solution that put user experience ahead of current platform limitations and the cost of change management
This dedication to pursuing a learner-first solution led Furman to engage with Noodle and to take advantage of the capabilities of the Noodle Learning Platform (NLP). NLP is designed to be seamless, fast, and intuitive, and can be configured outside a traditional LMS to focus solely on the enrollment process. The goals shared by OLLI@Furman and the Noodle team were straightforward and precise:
- Improve accessibility and simplicity for older learners
- Ease the service burden placed on staff/volunteers
The Results
Goals set and met! With a new “easy peasy” (member’s words) registration system, OLLI@Furman saw results right away.
- 2,600 enrollments and 45 courses filled within the first two hours
- 92% of learners registered online
“We were looking for a registration system that could handle our large membership without resorting to a lottery or tiered registration process. Our first registration day with Noodle exceeded our wildest hopes. No crashes, no ‘spinning ball of death,’ just ease of use for our senior adult learners. Customer service is key in serving our population, and Noodle has helped us provide that.”
Nancy Kennedy, Director of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Furman University
The dramatically simplified process and elimination of priority registration options successfully reduced barriers for older adults who struggled with tech and created fairer access to high-demand courses. Administrative staff and volunteers echoed the members’ praise and reported a drastically smoother experience with far fewer calls and complaints.
Mission Accomplished
While the numbers speak for themselves, the members had a few things to say as well:
- “Signed in, signed up, and paid up in 4 minutes.”
- “What a difference! A minute instead of an hour, and I didn’t pull any hair out.”
- “Best registration ever! Confirmation emails arrived immediately. Hooray!”
- “WOW! What a difference in OLLI enrollment! Congratulations on choosing an excellent system.”
- “Easy, peasy… done registering by 8:10! Not nearly as stressful as the previous method.”
- “A breath of fresh air. Super fast. Easy to navigate. We couldn’t be more impressed.”
Lasting Impact
OLLI@Furman’s story shows what happens when technology starts with empathy. By listening to members and staff, Furman transformed a stressful process into a seamless experience that reduced barriers, leveled the playing field, and empowered more older adults to access high-demand courses. Beyond convenience, the improved system fostered a stronger sense of community by making participation easier and fairer for everyone. In doing so, OLLI@Furman advanced its mission of lifelong learning—demonstrating that thoughtful use of technology can enhance equity, enrich community, and elevate the learner experience.
