50th Anniversary

JD Leslie pitches the idea of correspondence courses to Howard Petch (Academic VP) in order to help high school teachers upgrade their education. 

Physics gives Jim Leslie $2000 to buy a tape duplicator, hire one part-time secretary, and provide technical support training. 

40 x 40 minute taped lectures, on 5-inch reels: "can be used on a 4-track stereo tape recorder by turning down one channel".

Students are allowed to take two correspondence courses per year towards their degree.

Economics, English, Psychology, French, Classics, Ecology 1, Genetics and Evolution, and Human Biology.

Lectures are sent out on 2-track C90 cassettes.

Bursaries available for seniors to take courses for free. 

First use of Telidon (interactive television system) in ENGL 251. 

Staff members sent telegrams to over 4000 correspondence students during the strike. This cost the department a little over $7000. Exams were sent via courier, bus, rail express, and airplane. 

$100 scholarships for part-time and correspondence students became available. 

We send a quarter million cassette tapes to distance students. 

Athabasca University beats University of Waterloo for "largest correspondence program" in terms of course enrolments, but they only have 100 courses to our 168. 

In January, they cut the (cassette) tape at our new location in Annex 2 (156 Columbia Street).

First video cassettes (VHS or Beta) are used in a Calligraphy course to demonstrate techniques.

First 50 students pick up laptops for CS 100; only students living close to the University were eligible. 

New duplication machine! 300-400 tapes a day created per operator; Introduction of floppy disks and Alex (Bell Canada's interactive videotex service).

The Correspondence program receives $203,000 from Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities.

Coincides with a soft transition from Correspondence to 'Distance Education'.

Environmental Economics was the first fully web-based course offered. 

CD-ROMS also started to replace tapes for audio lectures. 

Office moved to Gage Avenue and our name changed to 'Distance and Continuing Education'.

Distance education courses marketed outside of Canada in Hong Kong.

Founder JD Leslie was named an honorary member to the University. 

Converted remaining physical formats, such as tapes and CDs, to MP3 format. 

Quest platform is developed allowing students to enrol in courses online.

First Learning Management System (LMS) called Angel or UW-ACE is purchased to deliver courses and course information to students online.

High speed Internet was not a requirement, so Flash files were also mailed on CD-ROMS. 

Laid the foundation for modernization of what CEL is today. 

Professional Development launched its first in-class certificate programs: Leadership and Project Management.

Distance Education becomes 'Centre For Extended Learning'.

All courses are moved from UW-ACE to a new LMS Desire2Learn.

Professional Development offers its first online certificate program in Supervision. 

Online learning embedded in Waterloo's Strategic Plan.

eCampus Ontario (eCO) is founded, which over the next few years, awards us with over $1 million in development and research grants. 

CEL moves from Gage Avenue to EC3 on the North East side of Waterloo's Campus.

CEL hosts the Canadian Association for University Continuing Education (CAUCE) Conference. 

CEL works towards converting all Flash-based presentations to more device-friendly alternatives.