When k-12 education is relevant, motivating, and collaborative, students thrive. And when videoconferencing and other collaborative technologies support learning, more educational opportunities are accessible and dollars are saved.
This is the premise behind The Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC), an Indiana nonprofit that brings national and international resources for videoconferencing content, collaborations, professional development, and technical assistance to educators to enhance learning.
Think of CILC as an aggregator similar to Expedia.com. The difference at cilc.org is you can search among more than 150 content providers across the U.S. and around the world. Then, you connect face-to-face with your chosen content providers – without the time and cost commitment of travel – using videoconferencing and web-based seminars to reach your destination.
Through cilc.org, experts in student content offer more than 850 teacher-evaluated, national standards-based programs ranging from the sciences to math, history and more. Educators access professional development, content experts, and programs that help them and their organizations improve learning in the classroom. Plus, technology provides a venue for online collaborations, where educators meet and share results.
Basic membership in CILC is free. Many educators and school corporations are purchasing CILC’s Premium Membership Plan, which includes discounts and other added benefits. All members can receive customized weekly updates announcing new content postings, special events, and much more.
Experienced CILC consultants partner with schools to create customized solutions in support of district and local professional development initiatives. As one administrator said, “School corporations are interested in access to quality professional development that doesn’t require travel or time away from the classroom.”
From access to student content to professional development programs to consultation, CILC focuses on helping schools maximize collaborative technologies to enhance learning.
“We’re often viewed as an insurance policy of sorts, in that we back up school corporations’ investment in videoconferencing technologies,” said Ruth Blankenbaker, CILC’s executive director.
For more information, visit www.cilc.org or contact rblanken@cilc.org.
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