WCET
WCET (the Western Cooperative for Educational Telecommunication), is a national leader in helping states and institutions integrate new technologies into all aspects of higher education. Members, representing more than 45 U.S. states and four continents, cooperate in sharing information, identifying barriers to the use of telecommunications in education, evaluating technological approaches to education, and facilitating multi-institutional approaches to technology-based learning. WCET’s annual conference, held last year in San Francisco, draws together some of the world’s most innovative thinkers on technology and education. Current projects include:
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EduTools conducts independent reviews of educational software and online courses. The information on the site is used by faculty and administrators to make decisions on course management systems and learning-object repositories. During the past year, seven institutions and system offices participated in a project to study “e-portfolios”: the project included creating a framework for reviewing this emerging software and conducting reviews of seven e-portfolio products. EduTools staff also consulted with the Utah Education Network, University of Alaska, and MIT regarding course management system implementations. The site also provides independent reviews of college and Advanced Placement courses, focusing on content, instructional design, and technical characteristics. Created with development funds from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the site has been involved in developing a sustainability plan.
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AdjunctMatch was a pilot project supported by 10 member institutions, whose representatives served on an advisory committee to create a web-based exchange service for adjunct instructors with e-learning expertise. The pilot concluded in March, and AdjunctMatch is now owned and operated by Adjunctopia, the developer of the service.
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The Technology Costing Methodology includes standard analytical principles to assess the costs of higher education’s use of technology. The project was developed by WCET and the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, with support from the federal Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education.
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The Center for Transforming Student Services (CENTSS) – established as a partnership project whose members include WCET, the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, and Seward Inc. – serves as a virtual one-stop resource for institutions working to improve their online services. Last year, at two workshops sponsored by WCET and the Higher Learning Commission, institutions used the CENTSS Online Audit Tool to benchmark their web-based services.
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Developing worldwide awareness of open educational resources: this project, supported by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, is allowing WCET to study new IT developments, such as the open courseware movement worldwide and related policy implications.
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International work: WCET is partnering with the Observatory for Borderless Higher Education, a U.K. nonprofit, on a benchmarking project for institutions integrating information technology and distance learning into their overall management structure. U.S. institutions from California, Indiana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Virginia, and Wyoming worked with peer institutions from England and Australia to benchmark their policies and practices. As part of its global outreach, WCET worked with the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization – UNESCO – and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development – OECD – to explore issues related to open educational resources in developing nations.
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Serving the educational needs of soldiers: As part of its annual review process, eArmyU contracted with WCET to do research on course completion, student satisfaction, and quality of courses offered by a number of institutions.
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Serving as an evaluator: For Borderless Access for Teaching and Education, a Montana State University, Bozeman, project, funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Fund for the Improvement of Education.
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Research on e-learning issues at traditional institutions.
Consulting on statewide and campus e-learning projects: Including projects with the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Arizona Board of Regents, Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education, Tennessee Board of Regents, Holyoke College, MIT, and eArmy University.