Professional Development Organizations

Our Member Organizations

Professional development opportunities directly related to distance and online learning are available from a variety of organizations.

The following organizations provide professional development and support opportunities, some free of charge, to members and institutions to improve online education and to instruct educators about best practices in online higher education. These organizations hold annual conferences and group forums for educators to exchange ideas and communicate with peers from around the globe. Additionally, many organizations publish monthly newsletters that keep you up to date on the latest practices.

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Texas State University is a Member in these Organizations

Educause is a nonprofit association and the foremost community of IT leaders and professionals committed to advancing higher education. Members of Educause include U.S. and international institutions of higher education, corporations serving the higher education information technology market, and other related associations and organizations.

The Online Learning Consortium (OLC) is the leading professional organization devoted to advancing the quality of online learning. Texas State faculty and staff receive discounts for OLC workshops, training, and conferences. OLC offers a number of options for online faculty training and development, including options that satisfy the training for online and hybrid faculty required by PPS 4.05.

Quality Matters (QM) is an international organization that is dedicated to creating quality online and hybrid education. Texas State faculty and staff have access to QM resources including the QM Rubric and receive discounted QM professional development opportunities. QM offers extensive opportunities for online faculty and staff training and development, including approved training options for online and hybrid faculty, as required by PPS 4.05.

The Texas Distance Learning Association (TxDLA) is the leading Texas membership association for distance learning professionals. Members of TxDLA are provided with access to resources including information exchange, professional development opportunities, workshops and leadership opportunities, regional group meetings, and the annual conference.

WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies (WCET) is a membership-based organization whose mission is to accelerate the adoption of effective practices and policies, advancing excellence in technology-enhanced teaching and learning in higher education. WCET also has online resources and discounted pricing on events for members.

Additional Professional Organizations

UPCEA is a leading association for professional, continuing, and online education. Founded in 1915, UPCEA now serves most of the leading public and private colleges and universities in North America. For 100 years, the association has served its members with innovative conferences and specialty seminars, research and benchmarking information, professional networking opportunities and timely publications. Based in Washington, D.C., UPCEA also builds greater awareness of the vital link between contemporary learners and public policy issues.

United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) is the first nonprofit organization dedicated to creating quality in the development of online and distance education through research and training of educators. USDLA holds conferences and webinars, and produces publications and podcasts on the importance of providing quality education for online courses.

Magna is dedicated to producing newsletters, journals, conferences, and discussion forums that provide advice and insight for instructors who are passionate about teaching and want to improve their pedagogy for online education.

The Association for Distance Education and Independent Learning (ADEIL) is an organization for professionals working in distance education. ADEIL’s mission is to provide distance educators with collaboration with other members and to provide professional development opportunities. ADEIL has a “primary emphasis of furthering the cause and understanding of independent study and providing service to the membership.”