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Adult and Community Learning Services

Distance Learning Project Report-April 2006

Network 2006
The Project Manager has asked both the distance learning programs and the DLAB committee to consider presenting at Network 2006. During the April 2006 videoconference meeting, there was a short discussion about Network and programs expressed some concern about presenting on GED Connection, a curriculum that is used in four out of the six dl programs. If programs were to present about the curriculum, they would want to give a realistic view of the strong points and the weaknesses of the multimedia program. The Project Manager has asked programs to continue the discussion about their concerns at the online dl teacher space at Community Zero.

The DLAB (Distance Learning Advisory Board)
The Project Manager is preparing site visit reports and monthly reports to be distributed to the DLAB members before their last meeting for Fiscal 2006. During the last meeting in May, the DLAB will review the reports, make recommendations to ACLS based on this year's work, and they will also review their list of expectations in the DLAB mission statement. The DLAB will also vote on filling two vacancies on the Board. At this time, the Project Manager has nomination forms for two candidates.

Site Visits
The Project Manager visited Brockton Private Industry Council on April 18th, 2006. She will make her last site visit to Notre Dame Education Center in May 2006. She is currently in the process of writing up reports for the five site visits she has completed.

Anywhere, Anytime Learning Newsletter
The deadline for submissions to the next Anywhere, Anytime Learning newsletter is Friday, May 12th, 2006. The Project Manager has asked all programs to indicate what they will contribute before the deadline. Sister Margaret Lanen of Notre Dame Education Center had a short meeting with Jennifer Rafferty to discuss the content and scope of her submission. The Project Manager plans to include: a cover letter stating the purpose of the newsletter, a short summary of the Distance Learning Advisory Board's work, an updated dl screening tool, and a summary of the DL Summit. Guidelines for submissions to the newsletter are now available. Contact Jennifer Rafferty at Jennifer.rafferty@umb.edu for a copy of the guidelines.

DL Summit
At the present time, thirty-two attendees are registered for the yearly conference at UMASS Amherst on Friday, May 19th, 2006. The focus of this year's conference will be on the future of distance learning in ABE in Massachusetts and considerations that must be addressed before the competitive RFP is released in 2007. The day's agenda will focus on individual, small, and large group activities. Notes will be available from the conference in late June 2006 and they will be posted at www.anywhereanytimeabe.org.

DL Outreach DVD
The Project Manager has been working with a production crew in the UMASS Boston Distance Learning Department to finish the work on the "Stay the Course, Go the Distance" outreach DVD. Production should end the week of May 5th, 2006 and the final product will be unveiled at the DL Summit on May 19th, 2006. Copies will be available for conference participants at that time.

Planning for Fiscal 2007 & Beyond
The Project Manager has reviewed the newest publications from Project IDEAL, Paper 7# and Paper 8#. See Publications at www.projectideal.org. Of interest to her is the publication on policy for distance learning programs. She has contacted Pennsylvania and Missouri in the Project IDEAL consortium to discuss more in detail some of the aspects of their implementation of distance learning.

Monthly Videoconference Meetings
For the April and June videoconference meetings, distance learning programs will share successful dl teaching strategies and supplemental materials that have worked well at a distance. Brockton, MCLA, and Notre Dame presented in April, and The Literacy Project, Juntos, and Quinsigamond Community College will present during the June videoconference meeting.

Distance Learning Professional Development Projects
Two consultants from the MCLA dl program are working on creating online orientation modules for distance learners. They will also complete an outline for distance learning instructors who work on the GED writing test with Fast Track GED learners. These projects will be completed by June 30th, 2006. The consultants will present the orientation modules at the June and July videoconference meetings. The orientation lessons will be available for all programs at the www.anywhereanyimeabe.org after June 2006.

Submitted by Jennifer Rafferty on May 5th, 2005