In April of 1995, The Center for Creative Instruction was accepted into the New Media Centers program in conjunction with Bowling Green State University. New Media Centers is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization helping institutions of higher education enhance teaching and learning through the use of new media. Bringing together pioneers in the new media field from academia and industry, NMC creates a collaborative network of institutions and corporations serving as a catalyst to integrate new media into education.
New Media Centers identifies academic institutions around the world best suited to serve as models for innovation, both on campus and in their communities. NMC and its corporate members then help them acquire and use state-of-the-art new media technology to create hands-on laboratories. These laboratories offer an ideal setting for beta-testing, software development and the training of tomorrow's workforce.
Acting as the program hub for its members, the NMC national staff convenes both traditional conferences and electronic forums to discuss the key pedagogical, technological and legal issues facing educators and corporations in the new media realm. New Media Center institutions work with each other and with NMC corporate members to develop the new technology needed for education. Individual centers are also encouraged to develop community-based programs, such as in-service training workshops for primary and secondary school teachers and professional development courses for lifelong learning.
Each year the New Media Center recognizes the work of a small number of truly outstanding member institutions with its highest honor, the Center of Excellence Award, symbolized by a specially designed translucent obelisk. The 2003 class of recipients represents the very best of the community of innovators that is the New Media Center, and each exemplifies the vision that brings us all together. The Center for Creative Instruction has compiled a history of accomplishment that has helped set the standards in the application of new media form to teaching, learning, and creative expression.