Canada's Homeschool

Alberta Distance Learning Centre (ADLC) celebrates 90 years of serving Alberta students in schools, at home, and around the globe. Founded in 1923 as Alberta’s correspondence school, ADLC serves students and partner schools across the province.

Enrolment is up. In September 2013, one in six Alberta high school students will have access to ADLC programming through our Solutions for Schools bundles. That’s more than 100,000 students in total, with many more accessing programming through Contracted Services.

This year ADLC launched the revitalized Math 20-2 and 30-1, based on feedback from students and educators. The Career and Life Management (CALM) course is now available, with a new look and leading edge tools. 

New to ADLC this year is Imagine Learning, which provides computer-assisted instruction and support designed to help English Language Learners. ADLC is committed to helping Albertans transition to the workforce through highly-successful courses like forestry and adult academic upgrading.

Piece of History: Barrhead

1980 was a big year for distance learning in Alberta. The oil-fueled prosperity of the previous decade had transformed the province, inspiring the provincial government of Peter Lougheed to explore ways of distributing the benefits of the boom to diverse communities across the province.

This desire coincided with the need of the Alberta Correspondence School to find a new home. The school had outgrown its office of over 30 years. On October 27, 1980, the education minister announced to Correspondence School staff that their workplace would be moving 90 km northwest – to the town of Barrhead. The school would be following in the footsteps of another of Canada’s leading distance learning institutions, Athabasca University.

In preparation for the move, the province commissioned the construction of a state-of-the-art building, situated in the north industrial area of Barrhead. When the Correspondence School opened its doors in September 1983, the agriculturally-based community of 3,500 was provided with a major economic boost.

The school functioned as the Alberta Correspondence School until 1991, when it changed its name for the second time to become Alberta Distance Learning Centre, reflecting the shift from print-based correspondence education to distance learning using both print and non-print media.

In 1997, ADLC’s bond with Barrhead was cemented when the organization was divested to the Pembina Hills Regional Division. ADLC continued to share a building with Alberta Education, who retained control over the development and design components of the operation.

In 2013-14, ADLC is celebrating 30 years and a proud history in Barrhead – Alberta’s distance learning centre.

Excerpts from Alberta Distance Learning Centre’s Blog.

See website for complete, unedited news.http://adlcblog.wordpress.com