Our History
Two decades of advancements and innovation! The OLC has been leading the way in advancing online learning since 1999.
We've come a long way to ensure anytime, anyplace learning is possible.
Starting out as Sloan Consortium (Sloan-C) in 1999, we have been the leading professional online learning society devoted to advancing quality e-Education into the mainstream of education through its community. In 2014, as a self-sustaining worldwide organization, we rebranded to the Online Learning Consortium (OLC) to better align with our mission: Creating community and knowledge around quality online, blended, and digital learning while driving innovation.
Twenty Years (1992-2012) of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation’s Anytime, Anyplace Learning Program
This website is the result of a research and evaluation project documenting the contributions of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation’s Anytime, Anyplace Learning Program. In the 18-minute video “Reflections” you will get a sense of what this program accomplished for online learning and higher education.
Learn More About the History of OLC
History
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation had a critical role in fueling the development of online learning in American higher education via its Anytime, Anyplace Learning Program. A most significant initiative of this grant program was the establishment of the Sloan Consortium of Colleges and Universities (Sloan-C).
Starting in 1999, the Foundation funded 346 projects totaling $72 million, most of which were made to non-profit colleges and universities. Major distance and adult learning providers such as the University of Maryland University College and the Penn State World Campus were early grantees. Following on the heels of these institutions, large mainstream public university systems such as the University of Illinois, the State University of New York and the University of Central Florida developed substantial online learning programs. In the early 2000s, a number of online initiatives at several urban-based colleges and universities such as the City University of New York, the University of Illinois – Chicago, and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee evolved and spurred the move to blended learning environments.
Evolution
Originally an informal organization of Foundation grantees, the Consortium incorporated in 2008 as a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization and became the largest recipient of funding from the Anytime, Anyplace, Learning Program, receiving in excess of $15 million over the course of the grant program. We evolved into “an institutional and professional leadership organization dedicated to integrating online education into the mainstream of higher education, helping institutions and individual educators improve the quality, scale, and breadth of online education.” It provides a full range of member services including annual conferences, professional development webinars, publishing the OLC journal, Online Learning, (formerly known as the Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks), and sponsoring research initiatives. In 2012, it had approximately 300 institutional and 700 individual dues-paying members.
As the Consortium developed and evolved, it became an attraction for a number of individuals and higher education institutions that had invested in online education. As a result, whereas the Foundation seeded and gave life to the Consortium, the Consortium is now the vehicle that provides exposure for the Foundation among the broader online learning providers.
Private, for-profit colleges and universities never received any grant funding from the Anytime, Anyplace Learning Program, however, they are an important and growing sector of online learning in American higher education. Their awareness of the Foundation’s contribution to online learning is modest at best and somewhat lower than for other non-grantee institutions. And again, what awareness that does exist comes from their association with the organization.
Present and Future
The organization’s reach and impact has grown significantly since it was first conceived in 1999. We aim to extend our presence, mission, programs and service into new markets worldwide. Rebranding as the Online Learning Consortium (OLC) enables us to clearly represent and position the organization, and extend our presence, mission, programs and services into new markets worldwide.
OLC remains committed to helping institutions create high-quality educational experiences, improving the U.S./international field of online education, contributing to the creation of an educated workforce, and creating mutually-beneficial partnerships with like-minded organizations.
OLC Historical Timeline
Journey back in time with OLC and discover all of the innovative work that propelled us to where we are today.
1991
Ralph Gomory receives approval from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Board of Trustees to start a Learning Outside the Classroom Project, later renamed the Anytime, Anyplace Learning Program.
1992
A. Frank Mayadas joins The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation as a program officer. Alfred P. Sloan Foundation established the Learning Outside the Classroom Program
1993
First major grant ($697,422) is awarded to Roxanne Hiltz at the New Jersey Institute of Technology to initiate a project utilizing networked computer conferencing and video technology for reducing average time to graduation and enabling a B.A. degree in Information Systems for those who prefer to learn at home.
1994
The Foundation awards $750,000 to Steve Andriole at Drexel University to develop a self-paced local and remote instruction program in Information Systems and Software Design.
1995
Burks Oakley receives the largest grant to date for $2,116,000 to develop a Sloan Center for Asynchronous Learning Environments (SCALE) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. A meeting is held in Philadelphia of Sloan grantees and others to discuss online learning (94 individuals participate). This is the 1st Sloan Annual Conference.
1996
Mary Metz and Mary Beth Alameda at the University of California, Berkeley Extension, receive a grant for $2,028,500 to develop 100 new ALN courses.
1997
Inaugural Issue of the Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks (JALN) is published with a grant awarded to John Bourne. The Foundation awards $285,000 to Rio Salado Community College to extend an existing ALN program across the state and to Native American reservations. Quality Framework Established: The Five Pillars of Quality Online Education.
1998
Funded by the Foundation, a Consortium (Sloan-C) housed at Vanderbilt University and headed by John Bourne emerges as an informal organization for the ALN community.
1999
Eric Fredericksen receives a grant for $1,300,000 to develop a large-scale ALN program at the State University of New York. First Sloan Summer Workshop held at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Mike Ribaudo and Colette Wagner (City University of New York) receive a grant for $300,000 to develop CUNY Online. Alfred P. Sloan Foundation establishes The Sloan Consortium.
2000
Calvin Sydnor and Betty Simmons at Hampton University receive a $400,000 grant to develop a full ALN degree program in Religious Studies. Gary Miller receives a $1,000,000 grant to develop large-scale ALN programs at the Pennsylvania State World Campus. Sloan Summer Workshop moves to Lake George, New York and becomes an annual event.
2001
University of Central Florida, under the direction of Joel Hartman and Patrick Wagner, hosts the Sloan-C International Conference on Online Learning in Orlando, Florida, that attracts almost 700 participants.
2002
The first in a series of national surveys is conducted by Elaine Allen & Jeff Seaman at the Babson College Survey Research Group on the extent and nature of online learning in American higher education. Funded by the Sloan Foundation, this survey becomes the premiere annual study of online learning in the United States. The Foundation provides funding for a Sloan-C Committee chaired by Frank Mayadas to assist in evaluating the eArmyU Project for the U.S. Army.
2003
Carmen González at New Mexico State University receives a grant to support a conference focused on ALN’s for American Indian learners.
2004
First Workshop on Blended Learning under the direction of Mary Niemiec is held at the University of Illinois – Chicago, that evolves into an annual conference.
2005
Sloan-C Institute established, providing online learning workshops & webinars. Sloan Semester – free online courses offered to students displaced by Hurricanes Katrina & Rita.
2006
As part of its blended learning and localness initiative the Foundation awards a $650,000 grant to Jacqueline Moloney at the University of Massachusetts to create and augment online course and program offerings for the state of Massachusetts.
2007
Ralph Gomory announces his retirement as President of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
2008
Sloan-C incorporates as a non-profit, 501(c)3. IELOL blended-learning leadership program introduced by Penn State & Sloan-C. Cheryl Edmonds (CANnect) receives a $50,000 grant to develop ALN modifications suitable for blind students.
2009
Frank Mayadas retires as the Program Officer for the Anytime, Anyplace Learning Program at the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
2010
The Anytime, Anyplace Learning Program officially ends.
2011
Quality Scorecard introduced, establishing criteria for excellence for online learning programs.
2012
The last grant of the Sloan Foundation’s Anytime, Anyplace Learning Program is awarded to Anthony G. Picciano (City University of New York) to document and evaluate the program.
2013
Sloan-C rebranded as the Online Learning Consortium, (OLC). JALN renamed Online Learning, expanded publications throughout the year.
2015
OLC launches first regional event, OLC Collaborate. Online Learning (journal) merges journals with MERLOT. Recipient of $2.5M adaptive learning Bill & Melinda Gates grant.
2016
OLC combines ET4 & Blended Learning conferences into one: OLC Innovate. Policy partnership with WCET & UPCEA. Digital learning Innovation Award launch.
2017
Quality Scorecard expands to a suite of five scorecards. OLC launches the OLC Research Center for Digital Learning & Leadership. OLC advances Leadership Network at Innovate and Accelerate conferences.
2018
OLC, QM, UPCEA & WCET collaborate to form the National Council for Online Education. Began work with Every Learner Everywhere network.