Indiana Distance Education Week is August 1–5
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Hoosier state is among nation's most successful in using distance ed for increasing access, addressing critical workforce needs, and enriching lives INDIANAPOLIS—At a kick-off event to be held at the Indiana State House at 10:30 a.m. on August 1, Lt. Governor Becky Skillman will present a proclamation naming August 1–5, 2005 “Distance Education Week” and offer brief remarks about the impact of distance education for Hoosiers. The proclamation, signed by Gov. Mitch Daniels, recognizes the contributions of 60 community learning centers and the achievements of students and faculty at public and private higher educational institutions as well as numerous K-12 schools. Skillman will be joined by Indiana State University President Lloyd Benjamin, Superintendent of Public Instruction Suellen Reed, Senator David Ford, and a number of key educational leaders throughout the state. The event will include 20 informational exhibits by colleges, universities, learning centers, and other organizations highlighting their distance education programs and services in the North Atrium of the State House from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. In Indiana, distance education accounted for nearly $40 million in tuition and other revenue last year—and while enrollments in other states are hitting a plateau, Indiana’s numbers are growing. “In 1994, there were about 4,000 distance enrollments. Ten years later the figure was at 104,000, putting Indiana ahead of most other states,” reports Susan Scott, director of e-learning for the Indiana Higher Education Telecommunication System (IHETS). Distance education helps address critical needs, including workforce shortages and increasing the supply of college-educated workers to keep Indiana competitive.
According to Dave King, executive director of IHETS, “Telecommunication and information technology systems that serve higher education benefit Indiana, especially in rural areas where they provide educational access, economic development opportunities, and help reduce brain drain.” Larry Montgomery, director of the College Cooperative Southeast (CCS), reports distance learning isn’t so much about distance as it is time. “Many of the students we serve would be unable to fulfill their educational goals without distance learning. Most have family responsibilities that, combined with work, make it difficult or impossible for them to take traditional classroom courses, even when they live in the same town.” CCS grew out of a mandate from the Indiana Commission for Higher Education to increase college access in southeastern Indiana. It now includes a network of active learning centers in 14 counties who utilize distance education to improve the lives and job prospects of thousands of area residents. Statewide, there are nearly 60 community learning centers like those in the CCS network engaging in community outreach and raising awareness about distance education. According to King, distance learning is also increasingly used in K-12 schools. “Providing courses and electronic field trips are among the primary distance learning applications in K-12 schools, especially those in rural or inner-city areas. Principals, teachers, and other administrators may participate in staff development and in-service training and workshops via distance learning technologies,” he notes. King concludes, “We’re just starting to tap into the all-too-large pool of Hoosier adults without college educations. We believe the state must continue building new ways to deliver flexible programs and increase educational access. But we have many successes of which we can be proud and solid experience on which to build.” ### |
