Leading and Following: Distance Education in Iowa and the USA

Michael Simonson, Ph.D.Program Professor

Instructional Technology and Distance EducationFischler School of EducationNova Southeastern University

Florida, USA

http://www.nova.edu/~simsmich/

Distance EducationNational Status

K-12 Schools: Preparing Students for the Future

The World is Flat

Thomas Friedman

“…companies will go where the knowledge is…”

Coefficient of Flatness“…the flatter one’s country is – that is, the fewer

natural resources it has – the better of it will be in a flat world…”

Distance Learning Classroom Teaching Site

View from Front

The ICN is mentioned ~6 times in 140 pages

Custer

Aberdeen Groton

Frederick

Leola

Ipswich

Warner

Roslyn Sisseton

Britton Langford Veblen

Tulare

Hitchcock

Bristol WebsterWaubay

Conde

Watertown

Mellette

Redfield Doland

Clark

South Shore

VolgaRamona

Madison

Sioux Falls

Lennox

Onida

Highmore

Porcupine Oelrichs Shannon County

Kadoka

Waverly

Florence

Mitchell Stickney

Ethan

Wilmot

Chamberlain

Gregory

Miller W essingtonWolsey Iroquois

Huron

Woonsocket Artesian

Howard

Montrose Chester Colton-Tri-Valley

Hartford

Plankinton

Avon

Helca

GettysburgHenry

Mt Vernon Salem

Kimball W hite Lake

De Smet Lake Preston

Martin

Hot Springs

Hayti

CastlewoodArlington Brookings

Flandreau ColmanDell Rapids

Beresford

Faulkton

Phillip Midland

Cresbard

Edgemont

Bison

LemmonMcIntosh

McLaughlin

Rosholt

Summit Big Stone City

Milbank

Willow Lake

Alpena

Tea

YanktonVermillion

TyndallBoonsteel/Fairfax

Wagner

Harrisburg

Canton

Alcester

Gayville

Elk Point

DakotaValley

Hurley

EmeryCanistota

Alexandria

Bridgewater

Freeman

Menno

IreneViborg

Wakonda

Scotland

ParkstonPlatte

Corsica

Tripp/DelmontArmor

Geddes

Winner

Colome

Mission

White River

LymanMurdo

Pierre

Ft.Pierre Harold

New Underwood

Rapid City

Hill City

Box Elder

Lead/Deadwood

Sturgis

Newell

Spearfish

Belle Fourche

Faith

Buffalo

Wakpala

Mobridge

Pollock

Selby

Herreid

EdmundsCentral

Bowdle

Eureka

Rosco

WillowLake

Revillo

Clear Lake

EstellineWhite

ElktonRutland

Stephan

St. Francis

11

2

2

2

2

8

2

2

2

12 2

2

4

4

13

62

2

2

3

2

DupreeEagle Butte

IsabelTimber Lake

4

Hoven

2

Custer

Aberdeen Groton

Frederick

Leola

Ipswich

Warner

Roslyn Sisseton

Britton Langford Veblen

Tulare

Hitchcock

Bristol WebsterWaubay

Conde

Watertown

Mellette

Redfield Doland

Clark

South Shore

Volga

Ramona

Madison

Sioux Falls

Lennox

Onida

Highmore

Porcupine Oelrichs Shannon County

Kadoka

Waverly

Florence

Mitchell Stickney

Ethan

Wilmot

Chamberlain

Gregory

Miller WessingtonWolsey Iroquois

Huron

Woonsocket Artesian

Howard

Montrose Chester Colton-Tri-Valley

Hartford

Plankinton

Avon

Helca

GettysburgHenry

Mt Vernon Salem

Kimball White Lake

De Smet Lake Preston

Martin

Hot Springs

Hayti

CastlewoodArlington Brookings

Flandreau ColmanDell Rapids

Beresford

Faulkton

Phillip Midland

Cresbard

Edgemont

Bison

LemmonMcIntosh

McLaughlin

Rosholt

Summit Big Stone City

Milbank

Willow Lake

Alpena

Tea

YanktonVermillion

TyndallBoonsteel/Fairfax

Wagner

Harrisburg

Canton

Alcester

Gayville

Elk Point

DakotaValley

Hurley

EmeryCanistota

Alexandria

Bridgewater

Freeman

Menno

IreneViborg

Wakonda

Scotland

ParkstonPlatte

Corsica

Tripp/DelmontArmor

Geddes

Winner

Colome

Mission

White River

LymanMurdo

Pierre

Ft.Pierre Harold

New Underwood

Rapid City

Hill City

Box Elder

Lead/Deadwood

Sturgis

Newell

Spearfish

Belle Fourche

Faith

Buffalo

Wakpala

Mobridge

Pollock

Selby

Herreid

EdmundsCentral

Bowdle

Eureka

Rosco

WillowLake

Revillo

Clear Lake

EstellineWhite

ElktonRutland

Stephan

St. Francis

11

2

2

2

2

8

2

2

2

12 2

2

4

4

13

62

2

2

3

2

Dupree

Eagle Butte

IsabelTimber Lake

4

Hoven

2

2005

US DOE Technology Plan

1. Strengthen Leadership2. Consider Innovative Budgeting3. Improve Teacher Training4. Support e’Learning and Virtual Schools5. Encourage Broadband Access6. Move Toward Digital Content7. Integrate Data Systems

States Mentioned* in the U.S. DOE Technology Plan

• Alaska• California• Florida• Missouri• Virginia• New Mexico

• Louisiana• Idaho• West Virginia• Arkansas• Pennsylvania

*Not Mentioned: Iowa

A Vision for IDLA?Iowa returns to the lead!

• “open up” the ICN -- to any and all (privatize and reserve access?)

• Develop “wireless canopies” over cities and towns -- anchored to the ICN

• State and local virtual schools• Blended/hybrid instruction• Computer in every child’s hands• Free connection and equipment for trainers,

teachers and administrators

DISTANCE LEARNING LEADERA leader is a visionary capable of action who guides an

organization’s future, its vision, mission, goals, and objectives. The leader guides the organization and its people who have faith in the leader, and have a clear understanding and acceptance of the organization’s worthwhile and shared vision and goals. A distance

learning leader has competence in knowing, designing, managing, leading and visioning distance education.