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TxDLA Takes Visionary Lead in Distance Education at National Level  
Contributed by Cheryl LaRue, North Lamar ISD

Garnering awards for past achievements and future impact in distance learning, TxDLA role models Dr. Rodney L. Zent and UT TeleCampus were honored during the first USDLA conference May 6-8 in Kansas City, Mo.

As part of its 20th anniversary theme “Our Past … Your Future!,” USDLA pooled talent from education entrepreneurs and practitioners of life-long learning for concurrent sessions, keynote addresses and project presentations. With more than 200 attendees from across the nation, TxDLA was well represented with 34 members collaborating among the professional and technical resources.

“The USDLA conference generated a lot of great energy,” Robert Robinson of the UT TeleCampus said. “It was wonderful to network with distance learning experts not only from different fields but from across the country with a truly national focus.”

UT TeleCampus received a 21st Century award for Best Practices in Distance Learning, along with a shared Gold award with UT Arlington and faculty member Caryl Segal for Best Practices in Online Programming. Dr. Rebekah Nix of UT Dallas received a Gold for Best Practices in Distance Learning Teaching. 

Dr. Rodney Zent was inducted into the USDLA Hall of Fame a few months after being named to the TxDLA Hall of Fame. Zent is the executive director of Texas A&M University’s Educational Broadcast Services.

“I enjoyed meeting people across the country and hearing about their triumphs and tribulations with instructional technology,” Rhonda Blackburn, TxDLA president-elect, Texas A&M University, said.

Keynote addresses were delivered by senior vice president, AT&T, John T. Montford and Dr. Andy DiPaolo, executive director, Stanford Center for Professional Development and Senior Associate Dean, School of Engineering.

Montford opened the conference discussing technology trends affecting distance learning. Closing the convocation of collaborative comrades, Dr. DiPaolo presented lessons learned from the dramatic rise of online education.

“The conference provided me an opportunity to network with and learn from other distance learning professionals, to gain new resources for improving online instruction and to share my research findings related to online learning,” distance learning coordinator Gail Weatherly of Stephen F. Austin State University said.

Weatherly’s session the first day of the conference was titled “IFWE Can … and DOES Support Research of Women in Online Learning.”

Other presenters covered topics for K-12, higher ed, corporate, military and government applications of distance education. With an intent to engage all learners, sessions also explored adaptive technology for learning disabled and English language learners, multi-sensory experiences through hands-on activities, delivery tools and web-based resources, instructional management and staff development.

“There was a real sense of collaboration buzzing in the atmosphere as people continually introduced themselves to one another and stood up following general sessions to share their thoughts with all of the conference attendees,” TxDLA president Ken Conn said. “It was special to be at the first edition of an event that will surely continue for many years to come.”

USDLA is a non-profit association formed in 1987 based in Boston. Organizational goals include promoting development and application of distance learning for education and training as well as meeting the needs of the distance learning community and its constituencies.

TxDLA is a state chapter affiliate of USDLA. All individual TxDLA memberships include an associate membership with USDLA.