Plans

Developments in technology can provide valuable resources to many educators. In the domain of distance education, these resources allow:

Improvements in our ability to offer "web-enhanced" classroom instruction.
Electronically afforded "face-to-face" meetings and conferences.
Reception of satellite delivered courses, discussions, and workshops.
Better facilities to support audioconferencing.
Research in distance education design, delivery, implementation, and evaluation.
Greater flexibility and versatility in communications.
Savings in time and money for travel and associated expenses.
Offering online courses to students physically separated from teachers.
Offering educational opportunities that would not otherwise exist.

Activities for funding and equipping the Gaylen Kelley Distance Education Laboratory are ongoing. As of May 1, 2001, funds have been secured for completing part one, the room renovation. The major components and estimated costs of the center are:

Item	Approximate Cost
1. Room Renovation (SED 417 - 418) including removing old darkroom equipment, room renovation, purchase of conference room furnishings, installation of telephone and Internet service, and purchase of current computer.	$30,000.
2. Projection device and screen	$10,000.
3. Satellite (receive only) and videotape recording and distribution equipment installation.	$10,000.
Total cost:	$50,000. .

We hope that in the near future the Kelley Distance Education Laboratory will serve as a research and development area for our graduate students to gain experience in, and conduct research on, the best practices in distance education. We want to conduct research that will help educators to design and conduct distance education consistent with the idea that teaching and learning requires thoughtful and sustainable interaction between teacher and learner. As stated in our philosophy, "The Kelley Distance Education Laboratory will be designed, constructed, and evaluated based on how well it can support the kinds of interaction necessary to achieve the high standards of Boston University. It is not enough, for example, to make interaction possible. Through the Kelley Distance Education Laboratory, we are committed to supporting education that helps people to study together with fewer constraints of time and place." Having our own appropriately equipped distance education laboratory will not only allow us to offer quality distance education opportunities, it will give us a laboratory to research and develop the best practices for the future.