2005 Distance Learning Awards Presented

Business Wire, Oct 18, 2005

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- The United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) today presented its 2005 Distance Learning Awards at the Fall Training and Online Learning Conference and Expo in Long Beach, CA.

The annual USDLA awards program acknowledges major accomplishments in distance learning and highlights those instructors, programs, and distance leaning professionals who have distinguished themselves. This year's competition included a new award, the 21st Century Best Practices Award for Distance Learning for extraordinary achievements in the industry.

While the USDLA awards have been closely followed by the industry for a number of years, the 2005 competition marked a new format for the awards. "The USDLA awards have become the standard of excellence for recognizing achievement in distance learning," said Dr. John Flores, CEO of USDLA. "This year we received numerous entries. That made this an especially intense competition - the winners are truly superb."

For the 2005 Awards program, USDLA focused upon three major areas that exemplify the dynamic nature of distance learning: online, videoconferencing, and satellite distance learning

The USDLA distance learning awards recognized professionals and organizations for Excellence in Distance Learning Programming and Excellence in Distance Learning Teaching.

Mr. Don Lake, longtime USDLA board member and chair of the awards committee, noted that, "This year's award winners represent many of the most innovative leaders in distance learning." He continued, "The USDLA awards program honors outstanding contributions from across the spectrum of distance learning - from satellite and videoconferencing to online distance learning programs. These are the best of the best."

Excellence in Programming

BJ HomeSat Network
Boston University
City College of San Francisco (2)
Colonial Williamsburg
Connect for Education
Defense Acquisition University
Engenio Information Technologies, Inc
General Electric Advanced Materials and GECIS (2)
Global Nomads Group
Harvard Graduate School of Education (WIDE)
Missouri School Boards' Association
Toshiba America Business Solutions, Inc.
TRC Interactive, Inc
University of Albany - School of Public Health
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
University of Southern California (2)
Virtual High School, Maynard, MA
West Virginia Virtual Schools

Excellence in Teaching

David C. Bachman, Defense Acquisition University
Dr. Eric A. Brody, Arizona Telemedicine Program
Mrs. Jennifer Cox, BJ HomeSat Network
Daryl Diamond, Broward County (FL) Public Schools
Jody Howard Kennedy, Eastview Middle School, White Plains, NY
Dr. David Levy, Bellevue University
Nathan Putney, Florida Virtual School
Dr. Linda Ross-Happy, University of Missouri

21st Century Best Practices Award for Distance Learning

The USDLA Board also recognized the leadership of trend-setting and innovative corporations and non-profit agencies with its new 21st Century Best Practices Award for Distance Learning. This is the highest award bestowed upon an organization in our industry

Dr. Flores noted that distance learning technology frequently opens new frontiers of learning. "The recipients of the 21st Century Award have often been the pioneers, not only for distance learning, but for education and training in general. This award speaks of innovation and it speaks of excellence. These are the people and organizations that have done the heavy-lifting to make all of this happen."

The Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration
Defense Acquisition University (DoD)
Florida Virtual School
The LeCroy Center for Educational Telecommunications Polycom, Inc.
The Rendon Group
Reynolds and Reynolds / Corporate University
Stanford University Center for Professional Development
Stevens Institute of Technology
TRICARE Privacy Office (DoD)
UMassOnline/University of Massachusetts
University of Maryland
Virtual High School, Massachusetts

In addition, USDLA also recognized the winners of several noteworthy distance learning awards

--The USDLA California Chapter, Alliance for Distance Education in California, was named the State Chapter of the Year by the national association.

--Dr. Robert A. Wisher, Associate Director of Training Transformation Technologies and Director of the Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) Initiative in Alexandria, Virginia was inducted into the USDLA Hall of Fame.

--The Honorable John Ellis "Jeb" Bush, Governor of the State of Florida, was awarded the 2005 USDLA Eagle Award for his long-standing support for technology as a means of improving the educational options for all Florida students and especially for his support of the pace-setting Florida Virtual School.

About USDLA. The United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) is a non-profit organization founded in 1987 to promote the development and application of distance learning for education and training. USDLA represents 4,500 members from preK-12, higher education, continuing education, corporate, military and government, home schooling and telemedicine. USDLA is the leading source of information on distance learning that focuses on public policy which impacts distance learning and its varied constituencies. Association offices are in Boston, MA. For more information about USDLA, visit the organization's website at www.usdla.org.