The IDEAL Consortium, a project of the EdTech Center at World Education, Inc., works to support quality blended and distance online learning in adult education and literacy programs across the United States through new educational technology innovations and collaborative research and practice. For over 15 years, the IDEAL Consortium, previously Project IDEAL, has provided technical assistance, web-based tools, and publications to member states to help them design distance and blended learning programs based on their distinct needs. We help state and regional leadership train their staff, provide just-in-time technical support, and assess the progress of their efforts.

Membership ensures opportunities for education leaders from different states to meet and learn from each other, gain new insight into what works, and access professional development materials. Technical support is available to members on data collection and analysis, reporting, educational program design, instructional strategies, and selection and use of online curricula. IDEAL Consortium workshop topics and ongoing discussions are shaped in response to the needs and interests of consortium membership.

IDEAL is a dynamic consortium aiming to improve its members’ ability to support and accelerate adult learning with technology, both inside and outside of the classroom. We share strategies gleaned from educational research and from our membership for leveraging recent educational technology innovations, ensuring the relevance of professional development offerings available to member states’ teachers.

Please review the information and complete the form. In addition to the following membership levels, customized professional development packages are also available. We look forward to hearing from you about your membership.

Membership Fees and Benefits

We understand that your state may have concerns about potential shifts in federal funding for the next fiscal year. Consequently, we are rescinding our proposed increases to the cost of membership for both the basic and PD levels -- you may have noticed the increase on our website. We thank you for your ongoing partnership.

 Community of Practice Membership: $3,500

• Up to five hours of mentoring to ​support state education and PD leaders
• Two-day, annual summer institute for two people in person, four online*
• Participation in our Learning Circles, small groups of state-level leaders learning from each other in facilitated online meetings 
• Access to a virtual Community of Practice for distance and blended education leaders, including an ongoing online discussion forum and periodic webinars

Professional Development (PD) Membership: $6,000

• Up to 10 hours of mentoring to support state education and PD leaders
• Two-day, annual summer institute for two people in person, four online *
• Participation in our Learning Circles, small groups of state-level leaders learning from each other in facilitated online meetings
• Access to a virtual Community of Practice for distance and blended education leaders, including an ongoing online discussion forum and periodic webinars
• Access to all professional development courses. Read about the courses at https://edtech.worlded.org/ideal-consortium

*States/Institutions arrange and cover the costs of travel and lodging for all participants. If your state does not permit purchase of memberships, we can provide alternative technical assistance plans.

 

Course Facilitation Options

States or agencies joining at the PD membership level have access to all PD courses, both individual self-paced and facilitated group courses. Most states give teachers access to these courses using the IDEAL Consortium Moodle site. It is also possible for member states to transfer the courses to their own course management software.

 Course facilitation is also available from the IDEAL Consortium and can be built into your membership fees or contracted separately. For example, 

IDEAL 101 facilitation for up to 20 participants: $4,500
IDEAL 102 facilitation for up to 20 participants: $2,500
IDEAL 103 facilitation for up to 20 participants: $4,000 
Special Topics Course facilitation for up to 20 participants: Calculated based on state/organization needs.

States or agencies can also contract directly with the EdTech Center to provide facilitation of any PD course offered by the EdTech Center through World Education.