What Does FDLA Do for Its Members and the Distance Learning Community?

Updated

FDLA serves its members and the wider distance learning field through four main activities: building a professional network, collaborating with outside organizations, sharing knowledge about distance learning strategies and technologies, and running the association through board committees. It is a nonprofit professional association for distance educators in Florida, and it is affiliated with the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA). If you work in online or distance education and want a professional community plus a connection to a national body, FDLA is structured around those needs.

A Network of Distance Learning Professionals

FDLA's stated purpose is to foster community and amplify thought leadership in distance learning. To do that, it aims to establish a network of people whose focus is to educate, create knowledge or communications, and provide guidance or programs related to digital, online, and distance learning technologies.

The association describes its membership as spanning a broad spectrum of industries, including:

  • Higher and continuing education
  • K-12
  • Corporate training
  • Military
  • Information technology
  • Consulting
  • Area educational agencies

The site also welcomes specific roles: administrators, faculty members, instructional designers, technologists, student support specialists, and other distance learning professionals.

Collaboration Beyond the Association

FDLA aims to collaborate with educational institutions, cultural centers, community groups, service organizations, and government agencies. The goal of these partnerships is to share knowledge, experiences, and information about strategies and technologies that advance distance learning and benefit education, the community, and local economies.

For members, this means the association's reach extends past its own roster into schools, agencies, and community organizations working on the same problems.

Sharing Knowledge and Strategies

A core part of what FDLA does is knowledge exchange: strategies and technologies for advancing distance learning. The most visible example is the annual conference, which the site describes as the premier event for professionals in Florida's distance learning industry.

The next conference is the FDLA/FAMTE 2027 Conference, themed "Beyond Boundaries: AI, Innovation, and Online Learning." Registration is listed as open now. The site also references sponsorship and partners, which support the organization's activities.

How the Association Is Run

FDLA is led by an active group of educational, nonprofit, and corporate professionals dedicated to helping the organization grow. The Board of Directors meets regularly as part of multiple committees covering:

  • Conference planning
  • Administration
  • Governance
  • Publication-related business

This committee structure is how the association's events, operations, and publications get organized.

Membership and the USDLA Connection

When you join FDLA, you also become a basic member of the USDLA, its parent organization. That dual membership is the clearest practical benefit described on the site: local, Florida-focused professional community plus a national affiliation.

The site lists a primary contact for the organization: Dr. Hui Fang Huang "Angie" Su, Ed.D., President, with the email [email protected]. Prospective members who want details on joining, dues, or member obligations should direct questions there, since the site itself does not publish pricing or a detailed membership tier structure.

Is FDLA a Fit for You?

FDLA is a reasonable fit if you are a distance learning professional in Florida—or working with Florida institutions—who wants a professional network, conference access, and a USDLA basic membership. It is less relevant if you are looking for a vendor, a degree program, or a formal accreditation body; the site describes a professional association, not a regulator or provider.

To move forward, review the membership and conference pages on fdla.com, or contact the president's listed email with specific questions about joining and the 2027 conference.