The 3rd Annual Statewide Distance Learning Facilitator Conference is scheduled for August 6, 2009, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Hot Springs Convention Center in Hot Springs, AR. Each public school district that utilizes distance education courses from the following content providers is required to send a facilitator:
Arch Ford Distance Learning Center (Plumerville)
Arkansas Department of Education Distance Learning Center (Maumelle)
Arkansas Early College High School (Monticello)
Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts Office of Distance Education (Hot Springs)
Arkansas Virtual High School (Plumerville)
Dawson Center for Distance Learning (Arkadelphia)
Arkansas Preparatory Center for Distance Learning (Walnut Ridge)
Arkansas Strategic Foreign Language Distance Learning Center (Farmington)
The goals of this coordinated professional development opportunity are:
1) to promote more efficient use of time and money by sending a facilitator to only ONE training
2) to allow time to begin/continue building a working relationship with the providing instructor(s)
3) to sharpen skills in classroom management, organization, and communication
4) to develop skills in testing ethics and procedures
5) to develop the necessary technology skills needed in a distance learning environment
6) to provide hands-on training for the Tandberg and Polycom distance learning systems
7) to allow time to share ideas and network with other experienced facilitators
8) to inspire and motivate facilitators for the up-coming year
The success of a distance learning lab is dependent on the continuing skill set of a facilitator. Registration is located on the Arkansas Distance Learning Portal at ardl.k12.ar.us.
Please be advised that each content provider may require additional training conducted over compressed interactive video to cover specific operating procedures.