October 5, 2012

National College Learning Center Association

2th Annual Conference

Reno, NV

The Northeast Center Office of Academic Support Receive National Innovative Use of Technology Award

On October 5, 2012, Dr. Lisa D'Adamo-Weinstein, Director of Academic Support at the Northeast Center accepted one of three technology innovation awards presented this year by the National College Learning Center Association (NCLCA).  The award was given in recognition of the Northeast Center Office of Academic Support’s approach to providing open and blended models learning assistance and academic support enhanced with technology.

The purpose of the National College Learning Center Association (NCLCA) Innovative Use of Technology Award is

• to recognize individuals, learning centers, or institutions that use innovative technology solutions focused on the learning center to improve student learning, assist learners who may learn differently, improve resource usage, increase student engagement, or enhance learning strategies and
• to encourage proliferation of innovative uses of technology to other learning centers so that students everywhere may benefit.

Dr. D’Adamo-Weinstein remarked, “I was excited when I learned we had won the award. It was gratifying that the hard work put in by myself and my learning coaches, Sarah Spence-Staulters ’09 and Kate Stockton, was recognized as an innovative model for delivering academic support to students. This award is the result of a team effort that strives to use technology wisely, blending onsite and online with open and accessible services and resources to enhance student learning.” 

In his remarks during the awards ceremony, past NCLCA President Alan Craig read a comment from one of the reviewers.  He said that the Northeast Center’s “Academic Support On Demand” proposal was worthy of the award because it “…demonstrated a need from the learning center and a search for a technology that would support and enhance the efforts.  In this case the learning center had to rethink itself totally. They developed a system wide approach to use multiple technologies in an innovative way.  They looked at technological enhancement to our services and resources in an integrated package both for students face to face and at a distance. This innovative use of technology could well serve other learning centers which have pieces of the puzzle, but do not have them integrated into a whole cohesive system. It will also serve as a model for those who are struggling with budget cuts and dealing with multiple learning centers and students scattered over a large geographical area and students at a distance.”

Upon returning from the conference, Dr. D’Adamo-Weinstein reflected on the experience; “When I was at the awards luncheon and heard that our program was recognized with the number one professional development resources in the field of learning assistance and academic support, the Learning Support Centers in Higher Education (LSCHE) website, I was blown away.  It was a great honor to be recognized and held on par with such a vital resource in our field.”

In addition to accepting the award, Dr. D’Adamo-Weinstein gave a presentation on the Northeast Center Peer Coaching Program.

To learn more about how the Northeast Center Office of Academic Support uses technology to enhance student learning, watch the video of the presentation of the award and see the “Academic Support on Demand” proposal, please go to the following website:

 http://bit.ly/NECAcademicSupportNewsandAwards

See the award being presented:

For more information about the award:

http://www.nclca.org/grantsawards.htm#innovativetech

Download the award nomination submission:

Innovation Award - SUNY Empire State College Northeast Center.pdf