TLC Initiative Outcomes Update
IACLE reports success of TLC (Teach. Learn. Connect.) Initiative
The International Association of Contact Lens Educators’ TLC Initiative to support educators, their students and the contact lens industry during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, has been a major success since it launched three months ago today.
Teach. Learn. Connect is an online education program and communications campaign that supplements IACLE’s existing educational activities.
Some of the notable achievements of the initiative include:
• At least 4,828 educators and their students have taken part online in global, regional and national TLC webinars.
• IACLE members are now registering for its first-ever Virtual Conference – Back to Contact Lenses – taking place on 26 September.
NOTE: Non-members and students can take part in some conference sessions via the IACLE Facebook page, including an Industry Panel Discussion on the impact of COVID-19 and the future for contact lens education, practice and the industry.
• A total of 842 members have signed up for IACLETOP, IACLE’s new Learning Management System.
• So far, 302 students from nine institutions across the world have taken the new Online Student Trial Exam (STE) to assess their contact lens knowledge.
• Social media activity has increased across all platforms, gaining over 1,700 followers on IACLE’s Facebook page, an increase of 37% in a three-month period. The introduction of Instagram has been especially popular, with 1,092 followers joining since its launch at the start of The TLC.
• Since The TLC launch, 35 new members have joined IACLE bringing the total number of members worldwide to 997.
IACLE’s next global webinar series will focus on myopia and its management, starting on 3 November. The topic of the first webinar is ‘What causes myopia and its progression? – current understanding’, presented by Professor Nicola Logan from Aston University, Birmingham, UK.
IACLE President Dr Shehzad Naroo commented: ‘The Teach. Learn. Connect. Initiative has brought together many of IACLE’s existing resources, merged them with the new activities that IACLE is undertaking and housed them under one banner making them more user-friendly and accessible. The result has been increased engagement with educators and their students.’
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For media enquiries please contact:
Alison Ewbank
Communications | International Association of Contact Lens Educators
International Association of Contact Lens Educators
London | United Kingdom
Email: a.ewbank@iacle.org
Work: + 44 208 390 9378 | Mobile: + 44 7732 121 959
Skype: alisonewbank1 | Web: www.iacle.org
Amelia Morgan
Marketing Consultant | International Association of Contact Lens Educators
Leeds | United Kingdom
Email: amelia@ameliamorgan.org
Work / Mobile: + 44 7740 858 395
Skype: ameliagracemorgan_1 | Web: www.iacle.org
Notes for editors
- Read more details of The TLC (Teach. Learn. Connect) Initiative.
- Access the 2020 Virtual Conference brochure.
- Find out more about the IACLETOP Learning Management System.
- ‘The Impact of COVID-19 on Global Contact Lens Education’ survey of IACLE Educator Members worldwide was conducted online in May 2020. A total of 214 responses were received from 32 countries across all three of IACLE’s global regions. The survey covers the current effects of the pandemic on contact lens education worldwide, and how educators and institutions plan to adapt in future. Read a full report.
- Dr Shehzad Naroo is Reader at Aston University in Birmingham, UK.
- Information on all IACLE activities and membership benefits is available at www.iacle.org.
About IACLE
The International Association of Contact Lens Educators was established in 1979 and is a non-profit, non-political association. IACLE has 967 (as of 30 June 2020) active members in 726 institutions in 79 countries and welcomes contact lens educators from all eye care professions and related disciplines. IACLE is dedicated to raising the standard of contact lens education and promoting the safe use of contact lenses worldwide. It is the leading provider of educational and information resources essential to contact lens educators. IACLE is supported by leading global contact lens manufacturers: Platinum Sponsor Alcon, Gold Sponsor CooperVision, Silver Sponsor Johnson & Johnson Vision, Bronze Sponsor Bausch + Lomb and Donor Sponsor Euclid.