Regents Approve Center for Learning Technology

The UW System says it is taking a giant leap forward in the technology learning market with the creation of its Center for Learning Innovation.

The center, approved by the Board of Regents at its meeting Oct. 9-10 in Superior, will develop, market, distribute and support technology learning products and services for all UW campuses.

“We are taking existing resources and aligning them in the most efficient way to benefit students and Wisconsin as the ‘innovative learning state,'” said UW System Katharine Lyall.

Using the expertise of UW faculty and innovations developed by UW Extension’s Division of Continuing Education, the center will assist UW campuses in creating and developing courses, and in supporting faculty and staff using educational technology.

It will also offer on-line services to students, faculty and staff, provide market assessment of UW-developed learning technology, and create marketing and distribution services. The center’s services also will be offered to businesses.

The regents called for the creation of an organization to capitalize on learning technologies after the 1996 Study of the University of Wisconsin System in the 21st Century recognized that technology can remove time and place as barriers to learning.

Michael Offerman will serve as the center’s director while remaining as dean of UW-Extension Continuing Education.

Also at the Regents meeting, UW students met with David J. Ward, UW System senior vice president for academic affairs, to discuss a number of concerns, including student identification numbers. Students and administrators across the system are concerned about misuses of ID numbers derived from a student’s Social Security number.

UW–Madison has announced it will stop using Social Security numbers as the basis for ID numbers for students attending after July 1, 1998. Current students have the option of requesting an ID number that does not use their Social Security number.