About The Support Center
The Project IDEAL Support Center at the University of Michigan provides member states with technical assistance for program planning, teacher training, and program evaluation. We develop training materials, online courses, and Web-based research tools that member states use to manage and improve their programs. Center staff develop policy papers on core issues in distance education and promote communication among states through online community building, collaborative conference presentations, newsletters, conference calls, and an annual workshop devoted to sharing best practices and building the skills of state staff involved in distance education.
Our Expertise
Staff at the Support Center have played a key role in the growth of distance learning in adult education and bring a unique set of skills to bear on all aspects of distance education. We have a thorough understanding of the kinds of programs and policies that make distance learning a viable alternative for adult learners. Our focus on helping each state clarify and implement its own vision for distance education, combined with our knowledge of what has worked in many states, enable us to help states build successful distance programs.
Over the years we have:
- Worked with more than 20 states to help them establish tailored distance education programs
- Developed online professional development courses for members to use in training beginning and experienced distance teachers
- Created The Handbook of Distance Education, which introduces teachers and administrators to important distance education teaching and learning issues as well as to the steps involved in establishing a distance program
- Analyzed a wide array of curricula for ESL, ABE, and ASE learners and determined their suitability for distance education; showed states how various curriculum components require different teaching strategies
- Created the concept of “proxy contact hours” and developed online tools to track the hours to meet the requirements of state and federal reporting
- Developed a guide to help states modify their e-data systems to accommodate distance learners
- Conducted annual workshops where distance education professionals share their knowledge, solve problems, and develop new skills to use in their state distance leadership role
- Worked with state directors on policy options unique to distance education and prepared papers to disseminate their ideas
- Provided a voice at the federal level regarding inclusion of distance students in the NRS and other policy matters
- Organized a strand of sessions devoted to distance education and featuring experts from across the counrtry at each year's COABE conference
- Developed the Distance Teaching Self Assessment, an online self-assessment that teachers and administrators anywhere can use to find out more about distance teaching and assess their skills
- Collected, analyzed, and reported data on the effectiveness of distance education