Distance Education in Iowa: A Research Plan.

Overview & Synopsis

The Iowa Communications Network (ICN), a statewide full-motion interactive fiber-optic network for distance education, is nearing completion. Few innovations have had the potential impact of the ICN. This paper describes distance education in Iowa, the ICN, the Iowa Distance Education Alliance, the distance-education research plan underway in Iowa, and the process used to encourage researchers to conduct research. The Iowa Distance Education Alliance consists of 15 regional partnerships for program development, a clearinghouse for information related to interactive telecommunications, a project-management structure, and the Teacher Education Alliance. The Teacher Education Alliance, with its other activities, is developing a comprehensive plan for research and evaluation to determine the unique contributions of the Iowa approach to distance education. The ICN is a top-down innovation that must be accepted by teachers and the public. Education about its potential and uses must be a priority, and research studies must be distributed and publicized to support the professionalization of distance education. (Contains 2 references.) (SLD)