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Background
Our global borders are quickly vanishing. People of diverse cultures, genders, nationalities, and age groups abound. Even in the midst of this global shift, education remains the most powerful platform to progress in our “flat world”. Distance learning opens the opportunities to obtain education without the constraints of location and time. It is the national skill needed in the 21st century.
Purpose
The International Center for Distance Learning Research and Praxis is a practitioner’s resource for Distance Learning research and its influence on Pre-K through Grade 12, higher education, home school, continuing education, corporate training, military and government training, and telehealth. The focus of the Center is on research to guide the development of policy and application for distance learning. It strengthens the connections between education research and the worlds of policy and practice in Distance Learning. The Center examines and supports Distance Learning programs and serves as a conduit for transferring knowledge and solutions to solve global problems and launch international initiatives. By serving as a repository for best practices and by engaging successful practitioners in distance learning ventures, the Center seeks to advance education and lifelong learning using effective distance learning to achieve positive results.
Location
The Center is housed at the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) located at 76 Canal Street, Suite 400 in Boston, MA. The Center is operated through a joint partnership between Nova Southeastern University – Fischler School of Education and Human Service and the USDLA. This joint partnership affords an established reputation that bridges numerous programs of study in the fields of education and related human services from NSU-FSEHS with the well-respected independent work drawing from USDLA’s distinguished board of directors and advisory board members.
Activities
The Center conducts original research, undertakes evaluation and training consultancies, publishes reviews and summaries, and engages in professional development activities related to Distance Learning. The research scope is broad and far-reaching ranging from learning and teaching application, financial and issues of access, the strategic use of technology in distance learning settings, and other factors that may influence distance education. These activities contribute to setting the research agenda particularly in relation to basic education, teacher training and higher education. The Center will also conduct research and evaluations of the cutting-edge areas of educational theory and applications, such as, synaptic learning theory, adaptive learning systems, M-computing, media-rich game-based learning, virtual reality learning environments in second life, intelligent tutoring environments, Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 technologies for collaboration.
Membership Benefits for ICDLRP:
- First to Know - Educational Research Reports (ERP): The expert principle investigators of the center will be engaged in the fundamental research in the emerging educational technology areas by receiving funding from foundations, such as, NSF, NIH, DoD. The ICDLRP members will be first to receive reports on the research findings before it is published in reputed journals or presented in conferences.
- Topical Research Report (TRR): Members will get access to exclusive topical research reports produced by ICDLRP research experts in the latest topical areas of distance learning. The center will produce six TRR every year. These research reports will be available to members exclusively for 12 months, after which they will be available online for USDLA members.
- Industry Trend Reports (ITR): ICDLRP's expert researchers will collect data on and predict growth patterns of the emerging trends in the area of online and DL education and bring them to the attention of the members on an exclusive basis. ICDLRP will produce four ITR reports every year. These reports will be only made public after 12 months.
- Pedagogical Effectiveness Index (PEI) Evaluation Reports: Based on the multi-dimensional evaluation model ICDLRP research staff will evaluate pedagogical effectiveness of emerging educational technology and practices. The PE index evaluations will guide University and industry decision makers on their strategic investments in the emerging technologies. Members will have exclusive access to PEI evaluation reports for emerging technology and practices conducted by the center. ICDLRP staff will also offer services to conduct PEI evaluation for educational technology infrastructure. The members will receive a 20% discount for PEI evaluation.
- Evaluation and Assessment Benefits: ICDLRP research staff will conduct independent assessment of DL courses and programs offered by Universities and Colleges. The member organization will be given 20% discount for evaluation and assessment project of their DL programs.
- USDLA Quality Certification (QC): ICDLRP staff will apply DL quality standards criteria to evaluate and assess pedagogical effectiveness of the DL programs and courses and provide a “USDLA Quality Certificate” for online courses and programs offered by Universities/College/Institutes for programs that meet the criteria. The USDLA Quality Certificate will help Universities and Colleges seeking accreditation for online degree or certificate programs. The ICDLRP members will receive a 20% discount towards the USDLA QC cost.
- USDLA Bronze Sponsorship Benefits: Besides these specific ICDLRP membership benefits you will also receive Bronze sponsorship benefits of USDLA (see benefits on web site)
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