This blog post written by:
Linda Dickeson
USDLA Chair of State Chapters

The United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) is committed to being the leading distance learning association in the United States, and its mission is to serve the needs of the distance learning community by providing advocacy, information, networking and opportunity.  

New to USDLA annual conference, held April 30–May 3 in Indianapolis, will be the opportunity for K–12 Attendees to receive proof of attendance for professional growth points. Each hour-long breakout session is good for one point, and adding a preconference three-hour workshop would be worth three additional points. 

There are two great options for K–12 Educators to attend in person:

• A special two-day attendance option (Sunday & Monday) allows attendees to participate in a three-hour preconference workshop on Sunday, followed by all day Monday attendance with a special K–12 strand of four breakout sessions (other sessions also available as options). Seven professional growth points for the two-day attendance package would be possible. The special rate for this option is $200 (does not include the Monday evening awards banquet).
• K–12 Educators may also opt to attend all three days of the conference for the possibility of attending ten breakout sessions (ten points) with the possible addition of a three-hour preconference workshop on Sunday (three points).

Register Now!!! 

Attendee will have an easy-to-use form where they simply enter each session they attend and get the session presenter to sign it at the close of the session. Before they leave the conference, they take the sheet to the USDLA registration desk where it will be validated and their Professional Growth Points certificate will be awarded. 

The process will be so easy and add even more value to your conference experience. Please join us in Indianapolis!

Please contact Patricia Marcelonis for more information about registering for the special K-12 two-day rate.

USDLA 2017 National Conference

April 30 – May 3, 2017 in Indianapolis, IN

The USDLA 2017 National Conference is the premier event for professionals in the distance learning industry. This year’s conference celebrates USDLA’s 30^th year and promises to deliver an action-packed agenda that will bring together distance learning practitioners from across the country and around the world.

*Click here for more information about this USDLA signature event.

Join the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA)

www.usdla.org

The United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) is a non-profit association formed in 1987 with headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts. The association reaches 20,000 people globally with sponsors and members operating in and influencing 46% of the $913 billion dollar U.S. education and training market. USDLA promotes the development and application of distance learning for education and training and serves the needs of the distance learning community by providing advocacy, information, networking and opportunity. Distance learning and training constituencies served include pre-k-12 education, higher and continuing education, home schooling as well as business, corporate, military, government and telehealth markets.

Samantha Penney
USDLA Board Member
Director of Distance Education
Indiana State Online

For more than a century, Indianapolis has been famous as the site of the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing” – the Indy 500.  In 2017 the city adds another important event to its calendar:  The USDLA National Conference!  Running from April 30^th to May 3^rd, the conference is the premier gathering of distance learning professionals in the world. 

Indianapolis used to have a sleepy, roll-up-the-sidewalks-at-night kind of reputation.  No longer.   The travel guide site Lonely Planet terms Indy as “America’s most surprising city.”   It is now known as a friendly, approachable city with a vibrant cultural community, urban walking trails in all directions, and world class cuisine that holds its own with anyone. 

Our National Conference venue is located in the block between the State Capitol building and Monument Circle – the heart of downtown.  Below are some things you may found interesting, all pretty much within easy walking distance of the conference venue.

History buffs

Check out the Indiana State Museum in White River State Park just .7 of a mile away about a 14 minute walk. The museum is located at 650 W. Washington St. They have way more in the museum than just things on Lincoln. Check out the current exhibits on Nature Unleashed: Inside Natural Disasters or Ice Age Graveyards.

Another spot about 1.5 miles away, 30 minutes walking, is Benjamin Harrison’s Presidential Site. The home of the 23^rd president and a National Historic Landmark. This artful Victorian home is currently exhibiting a display on Presidential Pets.

Indianapolis is second only to Washington, D.C. for the number of war memorials that honor our nation’s fallen. The Soldiers and Sailors Monument is only a 3 minute walk from the hotel.

Food and other

City Market is at 222 E. Market St. only a 10 minute walk from the hotel. It’s on the National Register of Historic Places and has over 30 local artisan booths. Great place to pick up a gift and grab a bit to eat.

Indy also has a lot of great restaurants. Here are a few within a 15 minute walk of the hotel.

• Bru Burger – 410 Massachusetts Ave. It’s a great place to grab a burger (anything from veggie to ahi tuna) and a beer. Check it out if you are craving a great gourmet chef burger.
• Scotty’s Brewhouse on 1 Virginia Ave. It’s a local sports bar that made the top 25 restaurants in Indy. They are known for their 7 Tidals Buffalo Chicken Dip, their burgers and their local beer.
• Café Patachou on 225 West Washington Street.  This is a great farm to table restaurant and the food is marvelous. The breakfast is great but so is everything else.
• St. Elmo’s Steak house is on 127 S. Illinois St.  It was founded in 1902 and named for the patron saint for sailors. It has a national reputation for exceptional food and wine (20,000 bottle wine cellar). They are known for their navy bean soup, their famous steaks and fabulous shrimp cocktail.
• 1933 Lounge is on the second floor of St. Elmo’s Steak House.  They have some great cocktails and ambiance.
• Napolese Pizzeria on 30 S. Meridian St. . They have amazing pizza. They cater to all types including gluten free. Their menu is ever changing but always great. You really have to try their Margherita pizza, you can get it regular, buffalo, with quail eggs or with a whole egg.
• Ball & Biscuit on 331 Massachusetts Ave.  It is a speak-easy style pub for prohibition cocktails with a tapas menu. It is a favored gathering place. It also topped Esquire Magazine’s “America’s Best Bars”.

Family

White River State Park is America’s only urban state park. It includes several museums including the Indiana State Museum and the Eitelijorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art. It is also home to the Indianapolis Zoo and White River Gardens. Most of the museums are within walking distance of about a mile or less.  If you are walking prepare to walk a bit as the park is over 250 acres.

If you have a car or can take a taxi,  check out the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is within a 10 minute drive. They have one of the largest collections of adult and juvenile dinosaur fossils. They also have Dale Chihuly’s 43 foot tall Fireworks of Glass sculpture. The address is 3000 N. Meridian St.

Here are the other reasons to attend the 2017 USDLA Conference

USDLA 2017 National Conference

April 30 – May 3, 2017 in Indianapolis, IN

The USDLA 2017 National Conference is the premier event for professionals in the distance learning industry. This year’s conference celebrates USDLA’s 30^th year and promises to deliver an action-packed agenda that will bring together distance learning practitioners from across the country and around the world.

*Click here for more information about this USDLA signature event.

Join the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA)

www.usdla.org

The United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) is a non-profit association formed in 1987 with headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts. The association reaches 20,000 people globally with sponsors and members operating in and influencing 46% of the $913 billion dollar U.S. education and training market. USDLA promotes the development and application of distance learning for education and training and serves the needs of the distance learning community by providing advocacy, information, networking and opportunity. Distance learning and training constituencies served include pre-k-12 education, higher and continuing education, home schooling as well as business, corporate, military, government and telehealth markets.

This blog post written by:
Linda Dickeson
USDLA Chair of State Chapters

I’m new to the position of USDLA Chair of State Chapters this year, and am thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to work with and get to know the outstanding leaders in distance learning organizations throughout the nation. Many of the State Chapter leaders have a long history in the field of distance learning and provide such valuable insight and expertise to USDLA, which is especially valued as we celebrate USDLA’s 30^th anniversary.

USDLA State Chapters represent local organizations of the national association and support the promotion, development, and application of distance learning for educating and training. Many State Chapters host local and regional events of great value for distance learning professionals, including: webinars, symposiums, luncheons, workshops and conferences. Some also host social media sites (like Facebook), or provide digital newsletters to connect their members throughout the year.

Members of a USDLA State Chapter are considered associate members of USDLA with many of the same benefits as individual or institutional members, including:

– Access to industry leaders within Education, Corporate, Healthcare and Military

– Industry updates on the latest teaching, learning and technology trends

– Online research library—reports, journals, articles

– Members-only webinars focused on community best practices

– Personalized USDLA Connect! social networking account

– National legislative representation in Washington, DC

– Networking opportunities with USDLA Board members

– Industry job postings

– Member networking with other Distance Learning and Telehealth professionals

– Discounts for USDLA events

Leaders of State Chapters meet monthly with the USDLA Chair of State Chapters to promote camaraderie and sharing of ideas and resources, and to provide updates about what is happening with distance learning in their state. Chapter leaders can also attend a pre-conference workshop at the USDLA annual conference to network, share, plan and learn from each other. These opportunities help to provide momentum and energy for leaders to take back to their organizations.

Are you a member of a USDLA State Chapter? Does your state have a USDLA State Chapter? See contact information for each state at this web page (https://usdlastaging.wpengine.com/chapters/chapter-members) or contact me, Linda Dickeson, USDLA Chair of State Chapters (ldickes@lps.org) for more information.

USDLA is excited to announce its opening keynote speaker is Elliot Masie, current Chair of The Learning Consortium.  Mr. Masie will speak on Monday, May 1, 2017 at 9:00am ET at the Hilton Indianapolis Hotel & Suites.

As USDLA celebrates its 30^th Anniversary, we all know the conversation about e-Learning is shifting.  At USDLA 2017, Mr. Masie will present, “The Many “E”s of e Learning!”  In  asking the “E” in e-Learning and expanding from Electronic Learning to the wider set of personal and organizational dimensions, Elliott Masie will provide a unique perspective about the following Learning Shifts:

• “E” for Everywhere Learning – Bringing Learning to the Learner – rather than the Learner to the Learning Room.
• “E” for Engaging Learning – Moving from Presentation to Challenging, Competitive and Cooperative Engagement of Learners.
• “E” for Evidence and Research on Learning – Big Data, Metrics and Accountability for Learning Approaches
• “E” for Everyone as Learners – Personalization, Machine Learning and Learners as Co-Designers
• “E” for Experiences – Mixed Reality, Labs vs. Classrooms and Expertise from Open Sources
• “E” for Effective Curation – The Learner and the Organization Must Curate from the Panorama of Learning Choices

In sum, Elliott will share evolving and disruptive dimensions of our opportunities in the changing world of Learning.

Elliott Masie is the Host and Facilitator of the Learning Conference each fall.  He heads The MASIE Center, a Saratoga Springs, NY think tank focused on how organizations can support learning and knowledge within the workforce. He leads the Learning CONSORTIUM, a coalition of 230 global organizations cooperating on the evolution of learning strategies.  In addition, he is the editor of Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie, an Internet newsletter read by over 52,000 business executives worldwide, and a regular columnist in professional publications.

Elliott’s professional focus has been in the fields of corporate learning, organizational performance and emerging technology. He has developed models for accelerating the spread of knowledge, learning and collaboration throughout organizations. Elliott is acknowledged as the first analyst to use the term eLearning and has advocated for a sane deployment of learning and collaboration technology as a means of supporting the effectiveness and profitability of enterprises.

Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to hear Elliott Masie speak live.  Can’t make it to Indianapolis – no problem! Please join our virtual conference and have access to a live stream of the presentation.  Visit www.usdla.org to register for USDLA 2017 today!

Blog written by:  Kim Airasian

USDLA 2017 National Conference

April 30 – May 3, 2017 in Indianapolis, IN

The USDLA 2017 National Conference is the premier event for professionals in the distance learning industry. This year’s conference celebrates USDLA’s 30^th year and promises to deliver an action-packed agenda that will bring together distance learning practitioners from across the country and around the world.

*Click here for more information about this USDLA signature event.

Join the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA)

www.usdla.org

The United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) is a non-profit association formed in 1987 with headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts. The association reaches 20,000 people globally with sponsors and members operating in and influencing 46% of the $913 billion dollar U.S. education and training market. USDLA promotes the development and application of distance learning for education and training and serves the needs of the distance learning community by providing advocacy, information, networking and opportunity. Distance learning and training constituencies served include pre-k-12 education, higher and continuing education, home schooling as well as business, corporate, military, government and telehealth markets.

This blog written by:
Pat Cassella
USDLA Board Member

As we celebrate our 30-year anniversary at the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) I look back and fondly remember my early days, the friends I’ve made and how I became involved in this great organization.  I’ve been involved with the technology industry for the better part of 30 years and remember my first USDLA meeting over 10 years ago.  I was a rookie in a field of distance learning veterans yet I felt like I belonged from day one.  At the time I was working in Marketing as a Director for VBrick Systems, a streaming video technology provider.  A VBrick colleague (Michael Baker, who became a great mentor and friend) had nudged me to focus on the Educational market several years before.  Since conferences were part of the market development job, he encouraged me to attend a USDLA conference.  Prior, I had attended a regional TxDLA conference to support our sales team, however I hadn’t been to a national USDLA conference and was curious as to what they had to offer.

Quite honestly, up to that point I always tied distance learning associations to the Educational community but I quickly learned that was not the case.  I recall meeting with folks from every facet of the community – Enterprises, Colleges, Healthcare and Government.  There was lots of energy, great discussion topics and plenty of great times both during the conference as well as networking in the evening.  It not only opened my eyes to the fact that distance learning applied to every vertical, it also helped to shape my career.

Over the years I decided to focus more on the Educational vertical, eventually building a sales and marketing team entirely focused on helping K-12 and Higher Education customers deploy distance learning solutions.  As I learned more about the USDLA I also became more involved.  I was asked to became an advisory board member shortly after my 2^nd conference and contributed in that role for several years.  One of my favorite assignments was helping on the technology front and ultimately hosting the streaming video webcast of the annual awards dinner.  Over the years my involvement with the organization and fellow USDLA members became deeper and today I truly feel like part of an extended family.

I became a board member in 2015 and owe it all to that friend who thought it would be beneficial for me to attend my first USDLA conference.  It was and continues to provide me great satisfaction in being able to help others in the DL community and I strongly recommend to anyone considering to join us in Indianapolis for our 30^th anniversary conference in April of 2017.

Submit an award nomination today!!

Top 10 reasons to attend the 2017 USDLA National Conference

USDLA 2017 National Conference

April 30 – May 3, 2017 in Indianapolis, IN

The USDLA 2017 National Conference is the premier event for professionals in the distance learning industry. This year’s conference celebrates USDLA’s 30^th year and promises to deliver an action-packed agenda that will bring together distance learning practitioners from across the country and around the world.

*Click here for more information about this USDLA signature event.

Join the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA)

www.usdla.org

The United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) is a non-profit association formed in 1987 with headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts. The association reaches 20,000 people globally with sponsors and members operating in and influencing 46% of the $913 billion dollar U.S. education and training market. USDLA promotes the development and application of distance learning for education and training and serves the needs of the distance learning community by providing advocacy, information, networking and opportunity. Distance learning and training constituencies served include pre-k-12 education, higher and continuing education, home schooling as well as business, corporate, military, government and telehealth markets.