The University of North Carolina Teaching and Learning with Technology Collaborative (TLTC) is a consortial organization that provides vision and shared resources in support of teaching and learning with technology programs and initiatives on the sixteen UNC campuses. To learn about current projects, visit TLTC Projects.

Purpose
The TLTC seeks to empower teachers, learners, providers of instructional support, and decision makers by identifying and developing resources to facilitate the implementation of technology in teaching and learning. These efforts include promoting faculty and instructional staff development that emphasizes the effective role of technology in teaching and learning as well as professional development of IT professionals for support of TLT. The TLTC facilitates UNC-wide communication about TLT issues, including development and recommendation of promising TLT practices, emerging technologies, TLT standards, and research methodologies and metrics to examine learning in professional development and instructional efforts.

The TLTC is committed to learning-centered^* approaches that unite the collective interests and goals of the sixteen campuses in ways that nurture excellence in existing practice, while serving as a leader and catalyst for innovation in the effective application of technology for teaching and learning. Through its projects and initiatives, the TLTC actively explores collaborative opportunities and assists in identifying and implementing effective practices, common services, and shared resources. Common threads promoted by the TLTC - expertise in the application of technology to enhance teaching and learning, belief in the value of teaching and learning, advocacy for the effective use of technology in teaching and learning, and facilitation of collaboration at many levels - provide the basis for unity of purpose in defining TLTC projects.

View the TLTC Strategic Plan and Operating Plan for additional information about TLTC work.

Mission
The TLTC facilitates collaborative support of opportunities in teaching and learning with technology and focuses on the importance of learning-centered approaches. In meeting this mission, the TLTC:

• Recognizes that students are at the heart of what we do.
  
• Unites the collective interests and goals of the sixteen campuses.
  
• Promotes excellence in the effective application of technology for teaching and learning.
  
• Actively explores collaborative opportunities in each project.
  
• Assists in identifying and implementing effective practices, common services, and shared resources.
  
• Values the role of technology as a means to accomplish academic objectives.
  
• Values the role of collaboration as a means to promote effective use of technology in teaching and learning.

Vision
The TLTC will advance collaborative processes that empower teachers, learners, providers of instructional support, and decision makers to make best possible use of technology in promoting learning. To promote that vision, the TLTC:

• Recognizes that the diversity of stakeholders involved in TLTC activities provides important perspective and insight.
  
• Seeks to establish unity of purpose and clarity of practice in TLT issues.
  
• Promotes thoughtful efforts to navigate and guide changes in technology as they impact the teaching-learning process.
  
• Seeks to foster collaboration that builds communities of effective practice.
  
• Promotes efforts that engender optimism, excitement, positive thinking, and success in using technology to promote learning.
  
• Seeks to build bridges that connect ideas and stakeholders as we move from current to future solutions.
  
• Is committed to the creative bridge-building needed to reach the future we envision.

History
The UNC Information Technology Strategy (ITS) Project initiated in 1998 included a task force on Campus Teaching and Learning with Technology that recommended, among other things, creation of "a TLT Collaborative organization (with all campuses welcome to join) to facilitate development, exchange and storage of system-wide TLT knowledge." In the summer of 1999 the North Carolina legislature approved funding in the 1999/2000 Appropriations Bill (HB168) to support the recommendations of the ITS project, including the formation of the TLT Collaborative. The TLTC was established in March 2000 as a program under the UNC Office of the President within the Division of Information Resources, reporting to the Vice President for Information Resources and CIO and is supervised by a Collaborative Board representing the 16 campuses.

Governance
Oversight for the TLTC is provided by a Collaborative Board that is composed of representatives from the 16 campuses. The Board advises the UNC Vice President of Information Resources, who has final approval over Collaborative actions and policies, subject to the residual executive authority of the UNC President. The TLTC's Executive Director and staff support the work of the Collaborative.

Contact

UNC TLT Collaborative
The University of North Carolina
Division of Information Resources
910 Raleigh Road, P.O. Box 2688
Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27515

919-787-2848
919-962-4734 fax

*The term learning-centered refers to educational approaches focused on learning as the primary indicator of success. The TLTC chose this term over comparative terms such as learner-centered or teacher-centered in order to represent a focus on learning process.