| The Instructional Technology Council, ITC, provides exceptional leadership and professional development to its network of eLearning experts by advocating, collaborating, researching, and sharing exemplary, innovative practices and potential in learning technologies.
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2008 Distance Education Survey Results: Tracking the Impact of eLearning at Community Colleges
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| See Full 2008 Distance Education Survey Results
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| ITC is pleased to offer you a copy of the results of its latest survey report, a study based on a survey of 139 community colleges. The report is authored by Fred Lokken, associate dean for the Truckee Meadows Community College WebCollege.
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| Here are some of the key findings:
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| • Campuses reported an 11.3 percent increase for distance learning enrollments, while increases in overall campus enrollments averaged less than two percent -- 70 percent of the respondents stated student demand exceeds current distance learning course offerings.
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| • Many colleges have significantly increased their number of blended or hybrid and/or Web-enhanced or Web-assisted courses.
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| • Most colleges have rapidly expanded their student services and technology support services to meet accreditation expectations of “equivalency” with traditional face-to-face courses.
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| • Thirty-one percent of the campuses surveyed are considering switching from Blackboard/WebCT, which had seen a near monopoly in the past. The merger of Blackboard and WebCT has prompted a number of campuses to review their learning management system commitments.
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| • Administrators continue to identify finding and/or compensating adequate “support staff needed for training and technical assistance” as their greatest challenge. Workload issues are their greatest challenge related to faculty.
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| • Assessing student learning and performance in the distance education environment emerged as the greatest challenge for students in 2008.
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See the 2007 Distance Education Survey Results
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Upcoming Deadlines for Distance Learning Grant Opportunities
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The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
 When it passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 in February, Congress authorized the Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Department of Agriculture's Rural Utility Service (RUS) to distribute $7.2 billion to accelerate "broadband deployment in unserved and underserved areas" and ensure "that strategic institutions that are likely to create jobs or provide significant public benefits have broadband connections." The grant deadlines are likely to be posted soon after the comment period ends on April 13, 2009, since NTIA and RUS must distribute the all of the awards by the end of fiscal year 2010.
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| The law directs NTIA to reserve "not less than $200 million" of the $4.7 billion NTIA will distribute for grants that expand "public computer center capacity,” at community colleges and public libraries. Another $250 million is set aside for competitive grants for “innovative programs to encourage sustainable adoption of broadband services."
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| RUS will distribute $2.5 billion dollars in loans, loan guarantees, and grants for broadband deployment. So rural colleges should pay particular attention to the RUS distribution of funding.
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| Colleges should review their current broadband connectivity, and document and prioritize their broadband needs. Colleges that are connected to regional networks should identify what network enhancements—especially related to enhancing broadband—will be needed in the next several years. They should also think about possible partners with whom they could submit applications. Colleges should check to see if their state has established an office or agency to coordinate any broadband applications. The American Library Association has a great Web site with a summary of the new law.
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Advanced Technological Education (ATE)
With an emphasis on two-year colleges, the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program focuses on the education of technicians for the high-technology fields that drive our nation's economy. The program involves partnerships between academic institutions and employers to promote improvement in the education of science and engineering technicians at the undergraduate and secondary school levels. The ATE program supports curriculum development; professional development of college faculty and secondary school teachers; career pathways to two-year colleges from secondary schools and from two-year colleges to four-year institutions; and other activities. A secondary goal is articulation between two-year and four-year programs for K-12 prospective teachers that focus on technological education. The program also invites proposals focusing on applied research relating to technician education.
Preliminary Proposal Deadline: April 23, 2009 (optional, but recommended)
Proposal Deadline: Oct. 15, 2009
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| For more awards see ITC's Grants and Information Web site
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Congratulations to the Recipients of the 2009
ITC Awards for Excellence in eLearning
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ITC Award for Lifetime Achievement in eLearning
Richard Gross, Executive Vice President, The Clements Group; Former President, Western Dakota Tech; Former President and Co-Owner, RDR Associates; Former Dean of Telecommunications, Kirkwood Community College
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Outstanding Online Courses
Public Speaking, Burlington County College, NJ
Modeling, Materials and Lighting, Savannah College of Art and Design, GA
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Outstanding Blended Course
Structure of American Sign Language, St. Petersburg College, FL
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Outstanding eLearning Faculty
Pamela Hegg, Oakton Community College, IL
Sharon Rifkin, Broward College, FL
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Outstanding Technical Support and Service
Mercer County Community College, NJ
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Outstanding eLearning Student
Elena Larson, Chemeketa Community College, OR
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Distinguished eLearning Educators
Maria Anderson, Muskegon Community College, Mary Bowne, South Dakota State University, Nandita Das, Sidhu School of Business and Leadership, Wilkes University, Ben Gentile, Chemeketa Community College, Pamela Hegg, Oakton Community College, Shan Huang, Sinclair Community College, Amie Jacobsen, SCAD-eLearning, Jackie Lindquist, Central Lakes College, Betty Peterson, Somerset Community College, Jocelyn Pihlaja, Lake Superior College, Sharon Rifkin, Broward College - South Campus, Joe Spradlin, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Science and the Arts, Elena Rene Stanley, Dyersburg State Community College, Vivian Tiffany, School of Veterinary Technology, Robin Turner, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, and Paula Willig, John A. Logan College.
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Who Owns What? Current Policies and Practice Regarding Ownership of Online Courses in Community Colleges
(Oct. 2008) by Stephanie Bulger, Wayne County Community College District
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| See Full Report
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| Based on a survey of 70 ITC-member community colleges, this study finds that, while most institutions have intellectual property rights (IPR) policies and the respondents were satisfied with them, many did not. The report includes best practice examples of policy language and a sample written agreement between a faculty and the institution.
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| Please contact Ginger Park if you would like to receive free copies of this printed report.
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| Pamela Himmel Accepts ITC Awards for Excellence in e-Learning, Outstanding Distance Learning Student, at e-Learning 2008 on Feb. 18, 2008
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| See Video of her Acceptance
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"St. Petersburg College was honored by having one of our students chosen as the 'Online Student of the Year' at the recent international Instructional Technology Council meeting at the Tradewinds. Thanks to the good work of Jeremy Peplow, the college videographer, the nominating introduction by eCampus instructor Dr. Jennifer Lechner and Pamela Himmel's comments are captured in the enclosed video file. If you’re feeling a little tired and overwhelmed, spend the few minutes watching this video. It represents the best of what we are, and the core of what we’re about. We should all be very proud and humbled."
- James Olliver, Provost, Seminole/eCampus, St. Petersburg College
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Celebrate ITC's 30-Year Anniversary
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| ITC was founded in 1977 as a committee of the American Association of Community and Junior Colleges, the Task Force on the Uses of Mass Media, and later the Instructional Telecommunications Council. This short video documents ITC's first 30 years of growth and progress and includes interviews of four of ITC's 10 charter members: Roger Pool, Dallas County Community College District; Sally Beaty, Intelecom; Jack Pirkey, Tarrant County Community College District; and Leslie Purdy, Coastline Community College. Produced by Blue Ridge Community College.
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| 30-Year Celebration Video
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Instructional Technology Council
One Dupont Circle, N.W., Suite 360
Washington, D.C. 20036-1143
202/293-3110, Fax 202/822-5014
cmullins@itcnetwork.org
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