The TeleLearning Network of Centres of Excellence (TL-NCE) was established in 1995 when the federal government's Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) program awarded a grant to create a network of researchers from Canadian universities, focusing on the development and application of networked technologies in education and training. TeleLearning established a management office to administer its affairs, and on April 7 1997 the office incorporated under the Corporations Act as TeleLearning Network Inc. (TN Inc.), a not-for-profit corporation. Ostensibly two separate bodies, each with its own Board of Directors, in practice TL-NCE and TN Inc. were not distinct: Board members were identical for both and the same Board session dealt with the affairs of both. TL-NCE was the "research face" and TN Inc. the "legal-administrative face" of the same organization. TeleLearning's renewal application in 2001 for a second round of NCE funding was unsuccessful. The decision was made to close out the Network, and on September 30, 2002 the corporation was officially dissolved.
TeleLearning's mandate was to research, develop and demonstrate effective knowledge-building pedagogies, implemented through telelearning; to support the development of a knowledge economy and learning society in Canada; and to transfer the resulting knowledge into Canadian organizations, institutions of learning and Canadian companies for worldwide exploitation. Its main functions were to organize further research and distribute funding to individual projects through seven distinct research themes; publicize research results through publications, reports, and conferences; promote cooperation among private, public and university sectors; and encourage the development of commercial applications and technologies through the formation of spin-off companies.
TeleLearning was primarily funded by the federal government through the NCE programs of the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), and Industry Canada. Additional funding was obtained through TeleLearning membership fees from participating public and private-sector organizations, including international affiliates. The chief officers of the Network were the Network Leader, Network Co-Leader, and the Executive Director. The Board of Directors was responsible for the overall management and direction of the Network, with certain powers delegated to an appointed Executive Committee. Other committees advised the Board, including the Program Committee and the Knowledge and Technology Transfer Committee. Relations between the Network and member organizations was regulated by the Network Internal Agreement.
TeleLearning's management office operated out of Simon Fraser University, which served as the Network's host institution. The main functions of the management office were disbursement of funds, NCE reporting, communications, member liaison, assistance with funding proposals, and conference organization. As host institution, SFU provided TeleLearning with office space, facilities, and some administrative services (e.g. payroll and finances).
The TeleLearning Network was originally built around four "beacon technologies": Collaboration Architecture and Design Resources for Telelearning (CadreTel), Computer Supported Intentional Learning Environment (CSILE), Teleform, and Virtual-University (Virtual-U). Over 240 public- and private-sector organizations participated in its projects, including over 130 faculty from 30 Canadian universities. The Network supported the growth of the online learning industry with the development of more than 45 software prototypes. Its spin-off companies included TELEStraining Inc., ClearMed Medical Knowledge Inc., Math Resources Inc., Nomino Inc., InVentures Incubator Inc., Cogigraph, the Portal for Online Objects in Learning (POOL), and TeleLearning Solutions Inc.
