How We Evolved
1988 - 1995
1988
Began as Satellite Education Network. Working as part of a federal STARS Schools grant, offering K-12 staff development and AP high school courses utilizing two-way audio and one-way video via satellite technologies.
1990
Awarded its first true Internet based project (ARPNet) through a National Science Foundation funded project as a part of the Center for International Earth Science Information Network – Columbia University (CIESIN) Project on global change.
Worked with the French Cultural Service and the French Consult in Chicago, produced the video series Salut la France that was distributed nationally via the Satellite Education Network.
1992
Created Western Illinois Education Consortium (WIEC)–a video conferencing system with a dedicated video network was deployed to Quad Cities and Springfield (Black Hawk College and Springfield CUSD).
1995
Produced our first interactive CD-ROM “Constructing Curriculum, Integrated Language and Literacy Learning” with Dr. Kathy Barclay to be used with K-12 pre-service teachers.
Developed the first Western Illinois University online course working with Dr. Max Pierson in the College of Education and Human Services (COEHS).
Worked with the College of Education and Human Services (COEHS), to deploy an Interactive Multimedia Lab for use by students and expanded the Faculty Development Lab used by faculty.
1996 - 2000
1996
Established as the only center of its kind in Illinois by the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE).
1997
Deployed a fully digital broadcast-quality television studio.
1998
Started a K-12 training group (precursor to the current instructional design group) to provide staff development in instructional technology to K-12 schools in Illinois.
1999
Worked with Illinois’s Large Unit District Association (LUDA) Education Foundation to develop a complete online instructional system to support and deploy online high school courses for Illinois high schools. The first course developed, Consumer Education, has been continually updated and is still in use.
Worked with Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL), the national education lab in Honolulu, to develop and present a week-long seminar in effective distance learning techniques presented on-site as part of the Pacific Education Conference in Saipan.
Worked with Department of Defense Education Agency (DoDEA), to develop a web-based assessment tool used to gage the effectiveness of staff development presented to teachers. This system was deployed online to all DoDEA schools worldwide. Developed in conjunction with the North Central Regional Education Laboratory.
2000
Deployed and supported the Blackboard content management system for use by Western Illinois University.
Worked with COEHS to set up and maintain a compressed video observation system that connects classrooms in K-12 schools with classrooms within COEHS for pre-service teachers to participate in classroom observations without the need for travel to the K-12 schools.
Worked with the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB), to develop and deploy a complete online instructional system (GED Illinois Online) to support GED preparation in adult education programs. It is currently being used in every adult education program in Illinois.
Ran a Direct TV channel (moved to Dish Network in 2003) 24 hours a day/7 days a week providing education resources and staff development for educators.
Worked with Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL), the national education lab in Honolulu, to develop and present a week-long seminar in engaged learning with technology presented on-site in American Samoa.
2001 - 2005
2002
Worked with one of largest commercial restaurants in the world to develop and deploy an online training for the company’s worldwide marketing staff. This project continues.
Partnered with Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL) working on the federal STARS Schools project Network for English Acquisition and Reading Star Schools (NEARStar) to design and implement a dynamic online system that addresses the issues of English language development for limited or non-English speaking students and the provision of effective reading instruction.
2003
Worked with the United Star Distance Learning Consortium, to provide foreign language classes to K-12 schools nationwide via satellite broadcasts and the Dish Network.
Offered its high school Consumer Education Online course as part of the United Star Distance Learning Consortium curriculum offerings. It was used in school districts across the country.
Worked with one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, to develop and deploy an online VR training simulation for security management personnel. Training was delivered via a blend of face-to-face and online instruction.
2005
Offered the GED Illinois Online to adult education programs nationwide. The GED Illinois Online project was renamed GED-I and is deployed for use in: Washington State, North Carolina, Delaware, Minnesota, Rhode Island, and Maryland.
Built DAISI (Data and Information System Illinois) in partnership with Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) to track all adult education student records exceeding 105,000 students.
Established a second data center in Champaign, Illinois to ensure system uptime and redundancy.
Moved out from under the College of Education and Human Services and became 100% self-supporting. Today C.A.I.T. resides under the University Technology department at Western Illinois University.
2006 - 2010
2006
Partnered with Illinois Department of Children and Family Services to create an online training system for all caseworkers, foster parents, mandated reporters, and residential facilities staff.
2007
Worked with Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board Executive Institute to build and deploy an online training program to prepare all part time police to pass the Illinois police certification exam.
Worked with DCFS, Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center and Chicago Public Schools to build an online Mandated Reporter training to serve medical personnel, school personnel, social services, law enforcement, clergy in reporting child abuse.
2008
Worked with Washington DC -Child and Family Services Agency to create a public Mandated Reporter Training.
Partnered with Illinois Attorney General’s Office to create sexual assault responder training for Nurses (SANE).
Assisted in the creation of a formal distance learning process at WIU. To date have assisted faculty with over 100 courses.
Deployed two open source learning management systems (Moodle and Sakai) for use on client projects.
2009
Developed two evaluation tools for WIU, (1) Western Education and Professional Program Assessment System which centralizes all teacher education information and assessments for accreditation (2) Custom online course evaluation tool for all 50 departments.
Partnered with Metra Railroad - Chicago to create an online training system and multiple regulatory trainings.
2010
Partnered with Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board Executive Institute to create domestic violence training.
Contracted with American Supply Association to create online Wholesale Distribution Training and a 3D animation on heating and water supply.
Developed web and mobile application technologies.