DEANZ Award 2010 – call for applications

Applications for the 2010 DEANZ award for Excellence in Distance, Open, Flexible and E-learning are now open.

The Distance Education Association of New Zealand (DEANZ) wishes to promote and reward excellence in e-learning, distance, open and flexible learning. The DEANZ Award is open to individuals or groups in New Zealand, or New Zealand citizens living overseas, who have completed a project that meets the criteria of the Award.

Awards are given for projects that

• advance understanding of best practice in e-learning, distance, open and flexible learning in New Zealand;
• are original or innovative in concept or application;
• are relevant to and whose outcomes are useful to the e-learning, distance, open and flexible-learning community.

Up to three separate awards may be conferred biennially in conjunction with the DEANZ national conference, with the total amount of money awarded in any year not exceeding $NZ2,000. It is expected that applications for the DEANZ Award will be associated with the current conference theme, and Award recipients (who will be notified in advance) are encouraged to travel to the conference to attend the DEANZ Award ceremony that takes place as a part of the DEANZ conference, being held in Te Papa Tongarewa, Museum of New Zealand Wellington, New Zealand, from 25-28 April, 2010.

More details, including a download-able application form are available on the DEANZ website.

Online Learning as a Strategic Assett

A report of interest to anyone with responsibility for policy, strategy and implementation of eLearning at at an institutional level.

The APLU-Sloan National Commission on Online Learning conducted an extensive benchmarking study over a 15-month period in 2008–2009 designed to: (1) identify key factors that contribute to successful, strategic online learning initiatives; and (2) gain a better understanding of faculty attitudes toward online learning and how those attitudes might impact institutional efforts to initiate and grow online programs. The benchmarking study included interviews with more than 230 senior administrators, faculty, and students at 45 campuses across the country and a national web-based survey of faculty that generated almost 11,000 responses from faculty at 69 campuses. The benchmarking study is the largest study of this type regarding online learning yet conducted.

The powerpoint that can be downloaded from this site is worth a browse for a summary of the key findings.