Several months ago, I wrote a piece about the copyright dispute between UCLA and the Association for Information and Media Equipment (AIME) (Streaming Video:  AIME Takes on UCLA, http://sloanconsortium.org/node/1132).  AIME is a trade association representing companies that produce and distribute educational films and videos.  Prior to being contacted by AIME originally, UCLA permitted faculty members to copy films and vid

I work with students who are disabled and what I love the most about distance-based education is its capacity to foster academic inclusion. It wasn’t that long ago that people who are deaf, blind, have mobility impairments, or cognitive challenges didn’t even attend school. Or if they did get some schooling it was either by studying with a private tutor or in a separate classroom set up just for those who were viewed as being disabled.

This call for papers is for a special issue of the Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks that will be devoted to research and effective practices in faculty development. The Faculty Advisory Board is especially interested in theory- or evidence-based best practices in faculty development as well as solid, well-designed and -executed research on the topic of faculty development. Faculty development can include online or blended education held for community college or higher education faculty.

Effective practices posted by September 30, 2011 will be eligible for recognition at a special session of the 17th Annual Sloan Consortium International Conference on Online Learning: Online Learning, Teaching, and Research in the New Media Ecology, November 9-11, 2011 in Orlando, Florida.

I am writing to the online and blended learning community as President of the Board of Directors for the Sloan Consortium.  As John Bourne has indicated, he has announced his retirement.  In his continuing professional style, John has given the Board flexibility in identifying a replacement and in the timing.  John will transition in 2012, and will most likely continue to work with us on transitions and special projects. 

I am very pleased to announce the launch of the Blended Learning Toolkit, funded by the Next Generation Learning Challenges. Check it out!

~Tom