The recent 2010 Distance Education Survey Results released by Instructional Technology Council (ITC) lists the top 10 greatest challenges for elearning program administrators.  SmarterServices' tools lined up perfectly with the first three. 

1. Support staff needed for training and technical assistance - SmarterFaculty
2. Adequate assessment of distance education classes - SmarterSurveys
3. Adequate student services for distance education students - SmarterMeasure

It is very exciting as a company to be positioned on the edge of distance learning needs!  Our goal is to provide robust, yet cost effective solutions, to distance learning challenges.  We want to help you understand your data and make it useable.  So far we are right on track!

SmarterServices Matches Trends in Distance Learning

SmarterMeasure Integrated with Blackboard Webinar

Released in May 2011, from the Instructional Technology Council, the 2010 Distance Education Survey Results: Trends in eLearning: Tracking the Impact of eLearning at Community Colleges, offers seven issues of relevant regulatory and legislative activity that are currently impacting the trends in distance learning.

1. State Authorization for Institutions Offering Distance Education to Out-of-State Students
2. Increased Scrutiny of For-Profit higher Education Institutions
3. Broadband Techology Opportunities Program (BTOP)
4. Failure to Enact the American Graduation Initiative
5. Passage of the TAA Community College and Career Training Grants Program
6. The Department of Education's National Education Technology Plan
7. The 2008 Higher Education Opportunites Act (HEOA)

Learn more by reading the full report.

2010 ELearning Trends - Instructional Technology Council

We are so excited to announce that SmarterMeasure™ learning readiness indicator is now integrated through a Blackboard Building Block!  With the integration clients will be able to:

• Add the SmarterMeasure Assessment as a content item within your course.
• Provide Single Sign On access so that students do not have to input a username or password.
• Display the assessment from within Blackboard.
• Report levels of assessment completion in the grade book which can be categorized as an assignment, test, or survey.

To learn more about how your school can access our building block contact your Account Manager or click here.

SmarterMeasure and Blackboard Integration is Now Available

WCET (WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies) was recently awarded the Bill & Melinda Gates Grant on Predictive Analysis.  Congratulations to an organization that strives to promote new technologies, research, and opportunities in the world of educational technology and online learning.  To learn more read the full story.

WCET Scores a $1 Million Gates Grant