UIS to offer a new dual credit course in an effort to encourage high school students to become teachers

UIS Teacher Education major Gabby Zeigler student teaches a class in 2015.

The University of Illinois Springfield’s Teacher Education Department will offer a new dual credit course for high school seniors in Menard and Sangamon Counties in an effort to encourage them to become teachers.

This is only the second year that UIS has offered dual credit courses, taught by University faculty members, to local high school students. The seniors will earn both college and high school credit for completing the course.

The dual credit course being offered is titled “Foundations of American Education.” The series of classes will provide students with an introduction to U.S. public and private K-12 schools through an exploration of the history and philosophy of education. The course counts toward general education credits for those students who attend UIS to complete their bachelor’s degrees.

“This is a win-win situation for everyone involved. The students get a head start on their college credits and a chance to see what teaching is about from the other side of the desk,” said Cindy Wilson, chair of the UIS Teacher Education Department. “Given the current teacher shortage, any efforts toward encouraging future teachers to enter the profession, to see the joy that is possible when someone they are teaching experiences a light bulb moment, well, that’s a good thing.”

The course will be offered on the UIS campus on Wednesdays from 6 to 8:30 p.m. starting on August 29, 2018. The course will be taught by Scott Doerr, a UIS adjunct teacher education instructor and superintendent of the Nokomis School District. The course is open to any senior who attends a high school in Menard or Sangamon Counties.

The dual credit Teacher Education course will cost high school students $50, plus the cost of a textbook (rental, used and online options are available). Students can sign up for the course by talking to their high school guidance counselor before August 22.

“The cost is almost negligible, so this course will give parents a bit of a tuition break,” said Wilson. “The course also gives UIS an opportunity to recruit students and let them experience a college course before they graduate.”

While the course fulfills the introductory requirement for the UIS Teacher Education Program, the credits could also transfer to other institutions in the state if a student should choose to complete his or her education degree elsewhere.

“This is the latest dual credit program where high school students can earn college credit at UIS,” said Fernando Planas, UIS director of admissions. “We believe that many of the high school students participating in the dual credit programs will find UIS to be an outstanding academic institution with exceptional opportunities and a great place to pursue their college degrees.”

In August 2017, UIS Associate Professor of Biochemistry Stephen R. Johnson offered the first dual credit course for high school students at UIS. A group of 18 students from Springfield’s Sacred Heart-Griffin High School (SHG) took part in the pilot program. The dual credit chemistry course will again be offered to SHG students during the 2018-2019 academic year.

For more information on the course, contact Cindy Wilson, chair of the UIS Teacher Education Department, at 217/206-6386 or cwils1@uis.edu.

UIS to launch a free Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) exploring the Innocence Movement

The University of Illinois Springfield will launch a new Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on the Innocence Movement on February 2, 2015. The free online class is open to anyone who wants to participate. Online registration for the class is currently underway.

The six-week course will be led by Gwen Jordan, J.D, Ph.D., UIS assistant professor of legal studies and staff attorney for the Illinois Innocence Project. The course is designed to introduce and educate interested members of the public about the serious issues of wrongful conviction, the work of the innocence movement, and strategies to prevent wrongful convictions in the future.

The MOOC will explore the scope of the problem, the causes of wrongful convictions, the nature and difficulties of post-conviction innocence work and policy initiatives to address these issues.

The Innocence Movement began in 1992 when Barry Scheck and Peter Neufeld established the Innocence Project at the Benjamin Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University with an aim to assist prisoners who could be proven innocent through DNA testing. Over the last two decades, lawyers and activists have established more than 70 innocence projects across the United States and more than a dozen additional projects around the world.

MOOCs are free online courses. Typically, students will read materials, view video lectures and interviews, participate in discussion, and complete assignments. Students worldwide can take part according to their own schedule and skip sections that are not of interest. After the MOOC has ended, the material remains available as a learning resource for teachers, students, and the general public. Currently no academic or continuing education credit is awarded for MOOCs offered at UIS, though students who complete the course may earn a digital badge. Digital badges are a credentialing tool to validate both formal and informal learning.

Those interested in registering for this free online class can do so by visiting https://uis.coursesites.com/. Anyone can register for the class. You do not have to be a UIS student.

For more information on the Massive Open Online Course, contact Gwen Jordan at gjorda2@uis.edu.

U.S. News & World Report ranks UIS online programs among the best in the nation

The University of Illinois Springfield’s online bachelor’s degree programs have been ranked the 31st best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. The 2014 Best Online Programs Rankings were released on January 8, 2014.

The UIS graduate education and graduate business programs were also ranked among the top 100 best online programs nationwide.

“These rankings once again highlight the high-quality learning experience online students are receiving at UIS,” said Chancellor Susan J. Koch. “Online classes are taught by talented faculty who work very hard to provide an abundance of learning opportunities and provide strong support for online students.”

U.S. News & World Report looked at best practices and factors, such as graduation rates, assessments, class size, retention rates, and time to degree deadline in determining the rankings. They also examined program peer reputation, accreditation, faculty education, student debt at graduation, and technologies and services available to online students.

“This recognition reflects the quality of our courses and our responsiveness to online students,” said Ray Schroeder, UIS Associate Vice Chancellor for Online Learning. “To be ranked among the top online bachelor’s degree programs in the country and among the best graduate programs in business and education is an honor that very few other universities have received.”

UIS offers eight undergraduate degrees online in Business Administration, Computer Science, English, History, Liberal Studies, Management Information System, Mathematics, and Philosophy. An online education master’s degree is offered in Teacher Leadership and a graduate business degree in Management Information Systems (MIS).

UIS is a premier public university that provides students with a high-quality liberal arts education, exceptional public affairs opportunities, and outstanding professional preparation programs. UIS has four core strengths: (1) a teaching-focused academic experience; (2) an abundance of opportunities to collaborate; (3) a right-sized supportive community; and (4) a tradition of educating public servants and leaders. UIS has four colleges: business and management; education and human services; liberal arts and sciences; and public affairs and administration.

View the U.S. News & World Report rankings online at www.usnews.com/education/online-education. For more information, contact Ray Schroeder at 217/206-7531 or email rschr1@uis.edu.

UIS online bachelor's and graduate business program ranked highly by U.S. News & World Report

The University of Illinois Springfield’s online bachelor’s degree programs and graduate business program rank highly on U.S. News & World Report’s 2013 list of the best online education programs in the country.

"These rankings once again acknowledge that UIS is a national leader in online learning," said UIS Chancellor Susan J. Koch. "UIS online programs are exceptional because they are taught by talented faculty who work very hard to create productive communities in their online classes and because we provide strong support for online students."

UIS is among the top 100 Best Online Bachelor’s Programs in the country, while UIS also ranks 16th nationwide in the category of Best Online Graduate Business Programs.

U.S. News & World Report looked at best practices and factors, such as graduation rates, assessments, class size, retention rates, and time to degree deadline in determining the rankings. They also examined program accreditation, faculty education, student debt at graduation, and technologies and services available to online students.

“This national recognition reflects the collective commitment of the faculty and staff at the University of Illinois Springfield to provide the highest quality online learning experience to our students,” said Ray Schroeder, UIS Associate Vice Chancellor for Online Learning.

UIS offers seven undergraduate degree’s online in Business Administration, Computer Science, English, History, Liberal Studies, Mathematics, and Philosophy. An online graduate business degree is offered in Management Information Systems (MIS).

“MIS online was the first online graduate program at UIS and the U.S. News ranking recognizes the quality and value of a UIS degree in MIS. Our faculty is to be commended for their dedication to student learning and a strong professional degree program,” said Ron McNeil, dean of the UIS College of Business and Management.

UIS is a premier public university that provides students with a high-quality liberal arts education, exceptional public affairs opportunities, and outstanding professional preparation programs. UIS has four core strengths: (1) a teaching-focused academic experience; (2) an abundance of opportunities to collaborate; (3) a right-sized supportive community; and (4) a tradition of educating public servants and leaders. UIS has four colleges: business and management; education and human services; liberal arts and sciences; and public affairs and administration.

View the U.S. News & World Report rankings online at www.usnews.com/education/online-education. For more information, contact Ray Schroeder at 217/206-7317 or email rschr1@uis.edu.

UIS announces free massive open online course on Lincoln and the Emancipation Proclamation

The University of Illinois Springfield will explore the importance of the Emancipation Proclamation in a new massive open online course (MOOC) during the spring semester. The free eight-week online course is open to anyone who wants to join world-wide.

The MOOC – titled The Emancipation Proclamation: What Came Before, How It Worked, and What Followed - uses the sesquicentennial of President Lincoln's issuance of the emancipation proclamation in 1863, to explore what happened in the United States before emancipation, how emancipation worked once proclaimed, and what happened in politics, economics, and society in the century and a half afterward.

“It will also serve as a forum for participants to discuss the concept of emancipation in states and systems earlier than that of the U.S. and since to today,” said Ray Schroeder, UIS associate vice chancellor for online learning.

The MOOC will be co-taught by Matthew Holden, the Wepner Distinguished Professor in Political Science at UIS, and Gwen Jordan, assistant professor of Legal Studies. The class will officially begin on January 28, 2013. Students may register now online at https://uis.coursesites.com/.

This is the second MOOC that UIS has offered – last summer a MOOC on education drew some 2,700 participants from 70 different countries to study the present and future of online learning.

This year’s MOOC will be taught on Blackboard’s CourseSites platform, a free, fully hosted and supported cloud-based system.

“Based on our experience in hosting eduMOOC in 2011, we knew that this time we wanted an integrated platform for the multiple delivery modes including discussion, blogs, wikis, synchronous discussions and more. This integration, coupled with the self-enrollment feature, takes many of the technical challenges out of delivering a MOOC, allowing us to focus on content and engagement,” said Schroeder.

The Emancipation course is not graded, so students can participate according to their own schedule and skip sections that are not of interest. No academic or continuing education credit will be awarded as part of the course, but faculty members at any level may choose to use the free, online materials as part of their coursework. Materials will remain online for use after the class.

Students may sign up for the free MOOC now by visiting the UIS CourseSites website at https://uis.coursesites.com/. For more information, contact Schroeder at 217/206-7531 or rschr1@uis.edu.

UIS part of national study exploring credit-worthiness for massive open online courses

The University of Illinois Springfield is part of a nationwide study that will examine the academic potential of massive open online courses (MOOCs). MOOCs are free online courses offered to very large numbers of students, mostly not for college credit.

The research is being coordinated by the American Council on Education (ACE) with financial support provided by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Among the questions ACE will address in research undertaken in collaboration with the University of Illinois Springfield's Center for Online Learning, Research, and Service (COLRS) are to what extent do MOOCs reach low-income young adult and older adult learners, what is the level of satisfaction of students enrolled in MOOCs, and do MOOCs have the potential to help lead to degrees or certificates. COLRS researchers will also explore types of MOOC teaching practices. This work will be performed using data from several MOOC platforms, including Coursera.

“MOOCs have the potential to make a huge difference in providing access to learning worldwide, so it is very important that we identify the best practices and approaches in effectively teaching students enrolled in this new way,” said research coordinator Ray Schroeder, UIS associate vice chancellor for online learning.

Dean Emeritus Bill Bloemer, an expert in learning analytics, and Distinguished Professor Karen Swan, a national expert on online teaching and learning effectiveness will head up the research initiative.

Also as part of the research, a pilot project with a small number of colleges and universities will be established to determine whether or not MOOCs are successful in re-engaging adult learners.

MOOCs are free online courses. Students worldwide can take part according to their own schedule and skip sections that are not of interest. Currently no academic or continuing education credit is awarded for MOOCs offered at UIS.

In the summer of 2011, UIS offered a MOOC on education that drew some 2,700 participants from 70 different countries, which studied the present and future of online learning. Another MOOC exploring the Emancipation Proclamation is being planned for early next year. The course will be offered starting on January 28, 2013. For more information, visit https://uis.coursesites.com/. Currently, no academic or continuing education credit is awarded for MOOCs offered at UIS.

For more information on the massive open online course research, contact Ray Schroeder at 217/206-7531 or rschr1@uis.edu.

U of I leaders tour UIS Emiquon Field Station and preserve

Leaders from the University of Illinois recently toured the UIS Therkildsen Field Station at Emiquon and the Emiquon Preserve learning about the research and collaboration taking place.

U of I Board of Trustees Chairman Christopher Kennedy, Trustee Edward McMillan, President Robert Easter, UIS Chancellor Susan Koch and other leaders took part in the tour.

“If I was a student, I’d be really excited about the opportunity to be a part of all of this. I think any school that you can mix biology, computer science, history and the great love for the state in one place is incredible,” said Kennedy.

The UIS Therkildsen Field Station at Emiquon opened its doors in 2008 after years of planning and development. It now plays hosts to researchers from around the world and hundreds of elementary, high school, and college students each year.

“I think for us as a university, it helps us continue to reinforce our mission,” said McMillan.

The 14,000 acre Emiquon complex was recently designated as a “Wetlands of International Importance” by the Ramsar Convention. It is one of only 34 Ramsar sites in the United States.

“I’m delighted to see this campus, UIS, involved here,” said Easter. “It indicates a maturity evolving with the campus where it takes on these projects. It’s more than just a small campus.”

Chancellor Koch credits great faculty members, such as Field Station Director and Biology Professor Mike Lemke, for coming up with the idea for an Emiquon research station.

“What we saw today was a wonderful example of what happens when wonderful professors really get engaged with the environment,” said Koch.

Lemke, who researches microbes at Emiquon, says it is unique for a right-sized university, such as UIS, to have a field station in the middle of an internationally significant wetland.

“This is a world-class wetland event and we happen to have a front row seat here,” said Lemke.

Learn more about Emiquon and the UIS Therkildsen Field Station at www.uis.edu/emiquon.

Online learning organizations create a national e-learning alliance

Funded on a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to the University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA), a task force comprised of representatives of leading national organizations in online and e-learning in higher education, has issued a report on the future of online learning in higher education. The Task Force includes representatives from the American Distance Education Consortium (ADEC), the Association of Continuing Higher Education (ACHE), EDUCAUSE, the Sloan Consortium (Sloan-C), UPCEA and the WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies (WCET).

The Summit on the Future of Online Learning held in Chicago in September 2011 addressed many of the issues facing online learning in higher education today. An outcome of the Summit was a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to convene an Inter-Organizational Task Force on Online Learning.

“Each of these organizations is deeply engaged in the development, delivery and support of high quality online education,” said Robert Hansen, CEO of UPCEA. “This report lays the foundation for working together with the goal of advancing the interests of the students and institutions we serve through quality online learning.”

The report, issued October 3, 2012, has six main objectives: 

1. Create the capacity to better inform online learning policy-making and regulation by establishing a formal alliance of organizations dedicated to advancing online education

2. Inform public policymakers and higher education leaders of the fundamental importance of online learning in serving the new “traditional” student: the adult learner

3. Make the connection between online learning, the economy, workforce development, and access, and communicate that connection to policymakers and higher education leaders

4. Give presidents and provosts the information and tools they need to make online education a key strategic asset for financial sustainability and mission fulfillment

5. Engage policymakers and other key stakeholders in conversations about new opportunities for innovation afforded by e-learning

6. Use the overwhelming body of research demonstrating the quality of online learning to dispel the lingering skepticism of policymakers and the public at-large

“This is a unique initiative among the leading national associations in online and e-learning in higher education,” said Ray Schroeder, Chair of the Task Force and Associate Vice Chancellor at the University of Illinois Springfield. “In the rapidly evolving online environment, it is important that we draw upon the knowledge and experience of those who represent the colleges and universities who have demonstrated their commitment to quality and innovation in this field.”

For more information, contact Schroeder at 217/206-7531 or rschr1@uis.edu. Please visit www.upcea.edu to view the full report.

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Located in Washington, D.C., UPCEA serves more than 370 institutions of higher education with a focus on professional, continuing, and online learning. The Association provides its members with educational publications, programs, conferences, and services for the advancement of lifelong learning. UPCEA promotes awareness of the needs of adult learners and recognizes best practices in the field.

UIS part of $450,000 Gates Foundation grant to improve access to online education

The University of Illinois Springfield is part of a national consortium of leading community colleges and universities, who are designing a plan to make higher education more accessible and affordable to low-income young adults.

The Learning First consortium plans to develop a pilot program that will increase online seat capacity and help more students learn from home. The pilot program is made possible thanks to a $450,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which was awarded to the League for Innovation in the Community College.

“We are grateful that the Gates Foundation and the Learning First consortium recognizes UIS’ leadership and expertise in online learning,” said UIS Chancellor Susan J. Koch. “We’re glad to be part of this important educational effort that will benefit so many students.”

The pilot program will be based on the UIS degree completion model, which was first developed in 2000.

“It is the same affordable and successful model that thousands of students from community colleges in Illinois and elsewhere have successfully pursued at UIS over those years,” said Ray Schroeder, UIS associate vice chancellor for online learning.

Under the current UIS model, students begin by completing 30 credit hours at an Illinois community college. The next 60 hours of the program mixes UIS and community college credit hours, most commonly with the student receiving an associate’s degree from the community college. During the transition period, students receive academic advising and support services from both the community college and UIS, creating a double safety net. Students earn their final 30 credit hours from UIS.

 “We have found that this model provides both affordability and the highest level of support for students, resulting in a timely degree completion,” said Schroeder.

The Gates Foundation grant is part of $9 million overall awarded to programs nationwide. In announcing the grant, the Gates Foundation called the program a “breakthrough learning model” for higher education.

Other schools taking part in the League for Innovation in the Community College’s Learning First consortium include Coastline Community College (CA), the University of Massachusetts Online, and Pennsylvania State World Campus.

UIS named runner-up in People's Choice Award for innovative online course

The University of Illinois Springfield has been named a runner-up in the category of "Most Open" online initiative by Education-Portal.com People's Choice Awards for its use of Open Course Ware (OCW) during a recent revolutionary and free online course.

The Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), conducted by the UIS Center for Online Learning, Research and Service drew more than 2,600 participants from over 70 countries. The 8-week course, which focused on “Online Learning Today...and Tomorrow”, started in June and finished on August 19, 2011.

In presenting the award, the website praised the openness of the learning environment. “Students here engage in a class that's a mix of self-driven instruction and video seminars all about the future of scholarship on the Internet, including a focus on OCW. MOOC embraces its Web surroundings, incorporating Google Docs, blogs and Twitter hashtags into its coursework. Every week a panel of experts on each topic delivers a webinar to those enrolled in the course.”

Winning the “Most Open” award was College Open Textbooks, a William and Flora Hewlett Foundation funded initiative, which provides free online textbooks to students and professors. The University of California – Irvine won the other runner-up award for its efforts in the OCW movement.

“We are in very good company in this recognition,” said Ray Schroeder, director of COLRS. “We are honored to be recognized for our innovation and leadership in open access to online learning.”

No academic or continuing education credit was awarded as part of the MOOC at UIS, but the materials offered during the course will remain online for free use. The materials may be accessed at: http://sites.google.com/site/edumooc.

Enrollment for UIS' first free Massive Open Online Course tops 2,000 from around the world

The University of Illinois Springfield Center for Online Learning, Research and Service (COLRS) is launching a revolutionary and free online course, which is open to anyone who wants to learn.

The course is known as a “MOOC” (pronounced MOO-k) or Massive Open Online Course and will focus on the topic of “Online Learning Today...and Tomorrow”. The class is scheduled to begin on June 27 and runs through August 19. All of the content can be found online at http://sites.google.com/site/edumooc/. The “MOOC” will have some scheduled events, such as live Webinars, but those will be recorded for later viewing.

“One can start anywhere in the course, take only some sections that are of interest and skip others. It is not graded,” said Ray Schroeder, director of COLRS.

No academic or continuing education credit will be awarded as part of the course, but faculty members at any level may choose to use the free, online materials as part of their coursework. Materials will remain online for use after the class.

“As a national leader in the field, UIS is invested in the development of online resources to advance the quality of online teaching and learning in higher education as a whole,” said Schroeder. “The open online learning resources movement is gaining traction around the world. In order to contribute to that cause and to examine the viability of the emerging ‘MOOC’ approach to learning, we are launching this experiment.”

UIS has invited a “who’s who” of experts from the online learning world to take part in the online discussion and lead sessions. Many of the speakers taking part in the “MOOC” are common keynoter speakers at national and regional conferences. COLRS will document the development and deployment of the “MOOC” and will conduct an assessment later this year. The instructors hope to learn more about Massive Open Online Courses through the experiment.

The first “MOOC” was developed by George Siemens of Athabasca University (who is joining one of the panels in the UIS “MOOC”) and Stephen Downes of the National Research Council of Canada in 2008. A number of other “MOOCs” have taken place since that time. This is the first attempt Schroeder is aware of that addresses a broad range of aspects of online learning and the future of online learning in higher education.

Schroeder said over 2,000 students have already signed up for the “MOOC” with participants from almost 50 countries, including The Philippines, Wales, The Netherlands, and Ireland. Students from Illinois and all over the United States have also registered for the class.

For more information and to sign-up, visit http://sites.google.com/site/edumooc/. You may also contact the UIS Center for Online Learning, Research, and Service by email at colrs@uis.edu or call 217/206- 7317.

PNC awards grant for arts and cultural education to Sangamon Auditorium

The PNC Bank Foundation awarded its first Grow Up Great grant in the Springfield area to Sangamon Auditorium, UIS during a May 18, 2011 press conference. The $90,000 grant will be awarded to the auditorium over a three-year period.

The grant will provide funding to allow over 600 Springfield Urban League Head Start students to attend two live school matinee performances each year at Sangamon Auditorium. The grant will also help provide pre-show materials that prepare children for the performances and helps foster social and emotional development.

“Although UIS’ mission is higher education, we want to be collaborators with those providing education at all levels in central Illinois and this is one more way of doing so,” said Harry Berman, UIS Chancellor.

Additionally, PNC funding for professional development will enable teacher trainers endorsed by the John F. Kennedy for the Performing Arts, Partners in Education program to conduct arts education training for 60 Head Start teachers. The grant will also help Head Start families and caregivers to attend the UIS Family Series to experience learning through the arts.

“A child’s first experiences with fine arts represent an introduction to the world of humanity,” said Nina Harris, CEO of Springfield Urban League Head Start. “This gift serves as a gateway that will motivate and undergird the imagination of deserving children and enhance their quality of life.”

Grow Up Great is PNC’s 10-year, $100 million bilingual program to improve early childhood education.

“For every $1 that is spent on a quality early childhood education program, society reaps $16,” said Doug Stewart, PNC Regional President for central Illinois. “You don’t have to be a banker to understand that a 16 to 1 kind of return is pretty phenomenal.”

Bob Vaughn, director of the Sangamon Auditorium called receipt of the grant “great fun” thanking PNC for their support and speaking about their common goals.

“How fortuitous that the missions of PNC Bank Grow Up Great program, the Urban League, Sangamon Auditorium, and UIS overlap so nicely,” said Vaughn. “How remarkable that each institution with the necessary resources now brings special elements to the table to make the partnership possible.”

UIS Computer Science Department ranks first in the state for the number of grad students

Did you know the Computer Science Department at the University of Illinois Springfield has more graduate students enrolled than any other public university in the state?

According to the Illinois Board of Higher Education, UIS had 184 students seeking a Computer Science master’s degree in 2009. That’s more than Northern Illinois University (178), the University of Illinois at Chicago (143), the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (133) and Western Illinois University (99).

“The master’s program in Computer Science at UIS is popular because the curriculum is flexible and offers the students the opportunity to select classes that will help them achieve their career goals,” said Ted Mims, chair of the UIS Computer Science Department.

Computer Science faculty have developed an innovative curriculum that allows the department to offer classes on cutting edge topics in a timely manner. The classes are offered in an on-campus and online format, which allows students the flexibility to take two classes that, might normally be offered at the same time if they were only offered on campus.

“The master’s degree is valued by employers and they often pay the tuition for students to complete their degree,” said Mims.

Other ranked universities in the master’s category include Illinois State University, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.

UIS ranked fifth in 2009 when it comes to the number of undergraduate students majoring in Computer Science with a total of 195 students. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign topped the list with 682 majors.

UIS founded New Century Learning Consortium adds Sam Houston State University as 11th member

The New Century Learning Consortium (NCLC), founded at the University of Illinois Springfield has added Sam Houston State University (SHSU), located in Huntsville, Texas as its 11th member. The Consortium is designed to assist universities in implementing high quality, large-scale online and blended learning programs.

“We are very pleased to have Sam Houston State University join the New Century Learning Consortium (NCLC). This award winning university has been recognized by Princeton Review and PC Magazine as one of the “Most Wired” colleges in the nation. Founded in 1879, SHSU brings a long tradition of excellence in education to the consortium,” said Shari McCurdy Smith, NCLC director and associate director of the Center for Online Learning, Research, and Service (COLRS) at UIS.

Sam Houston State University is pleased to join the New Century Learning Consortium, said Bill Angrove, associate vice president for SHSU Online. The university recognizes the need for inter-institutional cooperation. “We are very interested in efforts to promote degree completion and faculty exchange,” he said.

The Consortium plans to expand to 14 institutions by May. Consortium activities include developing a clearinghouse of online classes where there is excess capacity; shared research projects; shared IT expertise to support building infrastructure capacity; and peer support at the upper administration, dean, and faculty member levels. NCLC was founded utilizing a grant from the Sloan Consortium, who is also providing funding for the expansion.

“Sam Houston State University has an outstanding online learning program encompassing 16 online degree programs. We are excited that SHSU will bring their leadership and experience to this growing consortium,” said Ray Schroeder, director of COLRS and founder of NCLC.

NCLC member institutions are dedicated to developing vigorous online and blended learning initiatives to expand and stabilize student enrollments.

Current members are University of Illinois Springfield; California State University East Bay, Hayward; Southern Oregon University, Ashland; Chicago State University, Illinois; Oakland University, Rochester Hills, Michigan; University of Southern Maine, Portland; Louisiana Tech University, Ruston; SUNY Empire State College, Saratoga Springs; Hampton University, Hampton, Virginia; and the University of Minnesota, Crookston.

For more information about the Consortium, contact Shari McCurdy Smith at 217/206-7360 or email smccu1@uis.edu.

UIS announces fall semester 2010 Dean's List

A total of 577 students have been named to the University of Illinois Springfield Dean's List for the 2010 fall semester; 82 are students in the college of Business and Management, 89 are students in the College of Education and Human Services, 350 are enrolled in programs in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, 49 are enrolled in programs in the College of Public Affairs and Administration, and 7 are non-degree or undecided.

To qualify for the designation, a student must be an undergraduate who took at least eight graded semester hours and maintained a grade-point average of at least 3.75 for the semester.

The list is organized alphabetically by hometown.

Download a PDF of the Fall 2010 Dean's List:
DeansListReleaseFall10.pdf

UIS founded New Century Learning Consortium adds 10th member

The New Century Learning Consortium (NCLC), founded at the University of Illinois Springfield has added University of Minnesota, Crookston as its 10th member. The Consortium is designed to assist universities in implementing high quality, large-scale online and blended learning programs.

“We welcome the University of Minnesota, Crookston to NCLC. As one of the fastest growing online programs in Minnesota and possessing a distinguished tradition of national awards and honors, the University of Minnesota, Crookston is a strong partner for the consortium,” said Shari McCurdy Smith, NCLC director and associate director of the Center for Online Learning, Research, and Service (COLRS) at UIS.

The U of M, Crookston conferred its first online degree in 2001 and now offers seven of its bachelor’s degree programs entirely online.

“The faculty and staff of the University of Minnesota, Crookston are honored to join the NCLC,” said Chancellor Charles Casey, “and we eagerly anticipate the exchange of ideas that will result from our interaction with the other members of the NCLC.”

The Consortium plans to expand to 14 institutions by May of 2011. Consortium activities include developing a clearinghouse of online classes where there is excess capacity; shared research projects; shared IT expertise to support building infrastructure capacity; and peer support at the upper administration, dean, and faculty member levels. NCLC was founded utilizing a grant from the Sloan Consortium, who is also providing funding for the expansion.

"We are especially gratified to have the University of Minnesota, Crookston join us in NCLC. The Crookston campus - the original ‘laptop U’ - has a long history of innovation in the application of technology to enhance teaching and learning. They are a leader in online learning in the University of Minnesota system," said Ray Schroeder, director of COLRS and founder of NCLC.

NCLC member institutions are dedicated to developing vigorous online and blended learning initiatives to expand and stabilize student enrollments.

Current members are University of Illinois Springfield; California State University Easy Bay, Hayward; Southern Oregon University, Ashland; Chicago State University, Illinois; Oakland University, Rochester Hills, Michigan; University of Southern Maine, Portland; Louisiana Tech University, Ruston; SUNY Empire State College, Saratoga Springs; and Hampton University, Hampton, Virginia.

For more information about the Consortium, contact Shari McCurdy Smith at 217/206-7360 or email smccu1@uis.edu.

UIS signs online transfer agreement with Ozarks Technical Community College

The University of Illinois Springfield has signed a new transfer agreement with Ozarks Technical Community College located in Springfield, Mo. The agreement is designed to provide a seamless transfer for qualified OTC students into online programs at UIS.

A signing ceremony was held on Friday, Dec. 3, 2010 at Ozarks Technical Community College’s Springfield campus. UIS Chancellor Harry Berman and Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Tim Barnett were in attendance.

“Vice Chancellor Barnett and I were warmly welcomed by our colleagues at OTC, who share our commitment to high quality online education,” said Berman. “We’ve made a virtual bridge from Springfield, Mo., to Springfield, Ill., that will enable OTC graduates to complete their baccalaureate degrees, expand their career opportunities, and add to the economic strength of southwest Missouri.”

Online programs at UIS are continuing to grow with a nearly 15% increase in the number of credit hours being taken online this semester. A total of 17,172 online credit hours being taken this fall compared to 14,955 online credit hours last fall. A total 1,364 online majors are enrolled at UIS, a 4.8% increase from the previous fall semester.

OTC Online is experiencing a similar jump in online enrollment with 2,327 students taking the majority of their classes online. The college has a total of 4,104 students who are taking at least one online class.

For more information contact Derek Schnapp, director of Public Relations at 217/206-6716 or email dschn3@uis.edu.

Photos provided by Ozarks Technical Community College

UIS founded New Century Learning Consortium adds Hampton University as ninth member

The New Century Learning Consortium (NCLC), founded at the University of Illinois Springfield has added Hampton University as its ninth member. The Consortium is designed to assist universities in implementing high quality, large-scale online and blended learning programs.

“We are delighted to have Hampton University join the consortium. Hampton University has a long history of academic excellence and is one of the top historically black universities in the world. The university’s Hampton U Online program offers a growing number of doctoral, master’s, bachelor’s degrees fully online.” said Shari McCurdy Smith, NCLC director and associate director of the Center for Online Learning, Research, and Service (COLRS) at UIS.

The Consortium plans to expand to 14 institutions by May of 2010. Consortium activities include developing a clearinghouse of online classes where there is excess capacity; shared research projects; shared IT expertise to support building infrastructure capacity; and peer support at the upper administration, dean, and faculty member levels. NCLC was founded utilizing a grant from the Sloan Consortium, who is also providing funding for the expansion.

"We are most excited about our newest member of the consortium, Hampton University. They are a university with a 150-year-long tradition of excellence in academics and one of the emerging leaders in online learning in the U.S. We are looking forward to establishing close working relationships with Hampton University as part of the New Century Learning Consortium." said Ray Schroeder, director of COLRS and founder of NCLC.

The member institutions are dedicated to developing vigorous online and blended learning initiatives to expand and stabilize student enrollments.

Current members are University of Illinois Springfield; California State University Easy Bay, Hayward; Southern Oregon University, Ashland; Chicago State University; Oakland University, Rochester Hills, Michigan; University of Southern Maine, Portland; Louisiana Tech University, Ruston; SUNY Empire State College, Saratoga Springs.

For more information about the Consortium, contact Shari McCurdy Smith at 217-206-7360 or email smccu1@uis.edu.

UIS honored with two national awards for excellence and leadership in online learning

The University of Illinois Springfield is being recognized with two awards from the Sloan Consortium, a national group of online educators, for excellence and leadership in online learning.

The online Master of Arts in Teacher Leadership (MTL) program is the recipient of the 2010 Outstanding Online Program Award.

“The competition for this award was particularly strong this year, and the selection committee felt that the UIS online program was exemplary,” said Burks Oakley II, chair of the Awards Selection Committee for the Sloan Consortium.

A distinguished committee of leaders in higher education was responsible for evaluating the nominations. They praised the MTL program in the award nomination saying it “provides a high quality program to teachers in rural sections of Illinois who would not otherwise have the opportunity to complete a graduate degree.”

The MTL program, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary, is designed specifically for educators in a classroom situation who wish to assume leadership roles in their environments. Coursework is conducted entirely online and all projects are designed with a classroom application focus. Since 2001, the MTL program has made it possible for 593 teachers to obtain their masters degrees and become leaders in their schools. The program is represented by students from 27 states and 5 international countries.

“To be the recipient of this award speaks to the quality and rigor of the curriculum, our talented faculty and providing access for educators wherever they live,” said Scott Day, associate professor & chair of the Department of Educational Leadership.

MTL students consistently express satisfaction with their learning experience, including course and fairness, instructor and peer interaction, and provision of support services. Karen Swan, James J. Stukel Distinguished Professor of Educational Leadership at UIS, was responsible for nominating this program for this prestigious award.

Ray Schroeder, director of the Center for Online Learning, Research, and Service (COLRS) at the University of Illinois Springfield is the recipient of the inaugural A. Frank Mayadas Leadership Award. The award is the highest individual recognition offered by the Sloan Consortium and was voted on by a committee of leaders in higher education.

“The selection committee felt that Schroeder's leadership in the field of online learning on a national scale has been, and continues to be, transformative,” said Oakley.

Shari Smith, associate director of COLRS at UIS, was responsible for nominating Schroeder for this prestigious award.

“I am humbled by this award. It is a high honor to be recognized by my colleagues across the country for leadership in our field with an award named for the ‘father of online learning’ Frank Mayadas, who has meant so much to our university and to me personally,” said Schroeder. “This recognition is rightly shared by our wonderful colleagues at the Center, our faculty, and by the staff of UIS who collectively have built UIS online into a model that is widely recognized, respected and emulated for excellence in online learning.”

The Sloan Consortium is an institutional and professional leadership organization dedicated to integrating online education into the mainstream of higher education, helping institutions and individual educators improve the quality, scale, and breadth of education. Membership in the Sloan Consortium provides knowledge, practice, community, and direction for educators. Originally funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, it is now a non-profit, member sustained organization.

UIS has been awarded three Outstanding Achievement Awards by the Sloan Consortium in 2002, 2003 and 2006. No other university in the country has received more outstanding achievement awards. UIS was recognized with an Institution-Wide Excellence Award in 2007 and the Ralph E. Gomory Award for Quality Online Education in 2008.

The Outstanding Online Program Award and Mayadas Leadership Award will be presented to UIS during the 16th Sloan Consortium International Conference on Online Learning in Orlando, Florida, on Thursday, November 4, 2010.

For more information contact Derek Schnapp, director of Public Relations at 217/206-6716 or dschn3@uis.edu.

UIS-founded New Century Learning Consortium adds SUNY Empire State College as eighth member

The New Century Learning Consortium (NCLC), founded at the University of Illinois Springfield has added the State University of New York, Empire State College as its eighth member. The Consortium is designed to assist universities in implementing high quality, large-scale online and blended learning programs.

“We are very pleased to have Empire State College join the consortium. Empire State College is an institution with a strong history of quality online learning programs. Its Center for Distance Learning (CDL) is one of the largest providers of online learning in the state of New York,” said Shari McCurdy Smith, NCLC director and associate director of the Center for Online Learning, Research, and Service (COLRS) at UIS.

SUNY Empire State College is pleased to join the New Century Learning Consortium, said Meg Benke, Vice Provost for Global and Online Learning at Empire State College. The college recognizes the need for inter-institutional cooperation.

“We are particularly interested in efforts to promote degree completion and faculty exchange,” she said.

The Consortium plans to expand to 14 institutions by May of 2011. Consortium activities include developing a clearinghouse of online classes where there is excess capacity; shared research projects; shared IT expertise to support building infrastructure capacity; and peer support at the upper administration, dean, and faculty member levels. NCLC was founded utilizing a grant from the Sloan Consortium, who is also providing funding for the expansion.

"NCLC is an exciting initiative that brings together state universities spread across the U.S.," said Ray Schroeder, director of COLRS and founder of NCLC.

The member institutions are dedicated to developing vigorous online and blended learning initiatives to expand and stabilize student enrollments.

Current members are University of Illinois Springfield; California State University Easy Bay, Hayward; Southern Oregon University, Ashland; Chicago State University; Oakland University, Rochester Hills, Michigan; University of Southern Maine, Portland; and Louisiana Tech University, Ruston.

For more information about the Consortium, contact Shari McCurdy Smith at 217-206-7360 or email smccu1@uis.edu.