WASHINGTON, Oct. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Funded on a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to the University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA), a task force comprised of representatives of leading national organizations in online and e-learning in higher education, has issued a report on the future of online learning in higher education. The Task Force includes representatives from the American Distance Education Consortium (ADEC), the Association of Continuing Higher Education (ACHE), EDUCAUSE, the Sloan Consortium (Sloan-C), UPCEA and the WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies (WCET).

The Summit on the Future of Online Learning held in Chicago in September 2011 addressed many of the issues facing online learning in higher education today. An outcome of the Summit was a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to convene an Inter-Organizational Task Force on Online Learning.

"Each of these organizations is deeply engaged in the development, delivery and support of high quality online education," said Robert Hansen, CEO of UPCEA."This report lays the foundation for working together with the goal of advancing the interests of the students and institutions we serve through quality online learning."

The report, issued October 3rd, 2012, calls for several action steps to achieve that goal:

"This is a unique initiative among the leading national associations in online and e-learning in higher education," said Ray Schroeder, Chair of the Task Force and Associate Vice Chancellor at the University of Illinois at Springfield."In the rapidly evolving online environment, it is important that we draw upon the knowledge and experience of those who represent the colleges and universities who have demonstrated their commitment to quality and innovation in this field."

Please visit http://www.upcea.edu to view the full report.

Contact: Robert J. Hansen, Ph.D. Chief Executive Officer University Professional & Continuing Education Association rhansen@upcea.edu 202-659-3130

Ray Schroeder Associate VCAA for Online Learning University of Illinois Springfield Schroeder.ray@uis.edu 217-206-7531

SOURCE University Professional & Continuing Education Association (UPCEA)

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Online learning organizations create a national e-learning alliance to promote access to quality higher education online

TORONTO, Oct. 3, 2012 /CNW/ - A new online educational consortium, which will give students open access to the growing number of online courses and programs from institutions across the province, is one of many commitments outlined in the Council of Ontario Universities' (COU) submission to the provincial government.

The paper, Transforming Ontario Universities, is a response to the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities' discussionpaper that launched sector-wide consultations and institutional dialogues on how to improve Ontario's postsecondary sector for the 21st century learner.

"The Ministry's consultations confirmed that university faculty and staff are continually enhancing the educational experience for students," says Alastair Summerlee, Chair of COU and President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Guelph. "These discussions have provided further momentum to build on the numerous innovations taking place on campuses across the province."

In addition to committing to the online consortium, universities are also working together to improve Ontario's credit transfer system; advance the definition and assessment of learning outcomes, so students and employers know what knowledge and skills they will acquire from their programs; and expand opportunities for experiential learning, so students are better equipped for their careers.

The submission also discusses ways to leverage existing innovations and share best practices in different areas, such as teaching and learning, credential options and degree supplements, including e-learning portfolios that provide students with a list of their learning outcomes and volunteer activities beyond the classroom to demonstrate their experiences and skill sets to future employers.

"Universities continuously update course content and identify new academic programs that meet student and labour market demand. They create new experiential and e-learning opportunities that will best prepare today's students for the future," says Bonnie M. Patterson, COU's President and CEO. "By continuing to effectively manage costs, they are ensuring that financial resources stay dedicated to teaching and learning activities, and essential student supports."

View the submission, Transforming Ontario Universities.

Visit the COU website at http://www.cou.on.ca Follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/CouncilofOntarioUniversities Follow us on Twitter at @OntUniv

SOURCE: Council of Ontario Universities

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Ontario universities respond to need for greater access to online education

NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Columbia Business School Executive Education announced the launch of its first online executive education program, as part of a larger initiative to place the School as an innovative leader in executive education online learning. The program, in partnership with the Institute for Personal Leadership (IPL), offers a wider community of business professionals the opportunity to experience executive education in a dynamic online format that provides an interactive learning experience much beyond traditional online education programs.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120905/NY68578LOGO )

The inaugural program, Personal Leadership Online, taught by Professor Hitendra Wadhwa, Columbia Business School's director of e-learning and founder of the Institute for Personal Leadership, provides insights and tools to gain mastery over one's goals, values, purpose, thoughts, emotions, beliefs, mindsets and motivations, so executives can operate at their best in all moments, become a more effective leader, build stronger relationships, and experience greater fulfillment at work and in life.

"As Columbia Business School's first venture into online executive education, we created this program and online format to substantially extend the reach of executive education programs within organizations and communities worldwide," said Professor Wadhwa. "Our online platform delivers an experience never before seen in online learning in a way that keeps participants interested and engaged."

Personal Leadership Online is offered in two versions the Essentials Edition and Executive Edition running from 10 to 12 weeks and priced at $989 and $1899, respectively. The program guides participants through two to three modules of core lecture content per week, with each module consisting of 30 minutes or more in high-quality video. The compelling documentary-style video lectures produced in partnership with former BBC executive Andrea Miller take students outside the halls of Columbia Business School to the university's campus and other New York landmarks.

In addition to video lecture content, the participants are able to engage with faculty in several live sessions through the course of the program. Participants also interact with each other throughout the program through a number of structured online formats. A second online program, Driving Strategic Impact, will commence spring 2013. Additional information on Columbia Business School's Executive Education online programs is available at: http://www.gsb.columbia.edu/execed/online-programs.

About Columbia Business School Led by Dean Glenn Hubbard, the Russell L. Carson Professor of Finance and Economics, Columbia Business School seeks to provide a truly global business education that lasts and evolves over a lifetime, preparing students for strong leadership in any industry. The School's cutting-edge curriculum bridges pioneering academic theory with industry practice, imparting not only functional skills but the entrepreneurial mindset required to recognize and capture opportunity in a competitive business environment. Beyond academic rigor and teaching excellence, the School offers programs that are designed to give students practical experience making decisions in real-world environments. The strength of its ideas, the breadth and accessibility of its alumni network, and the extent of its connections to New York City combine to make Columbia Business School one of the most innovative and dynamic business communities in the world. The School offers MBA and Executive MBA (EMBA) degrees, as well as non-degree executive education programs. For more information, visit http://www.gsb.columbia.edu.

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Columbia Business School Launches Its First Online Executive Education Program

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02-10-2012 17:17 Education Commissioner Christopher Cerf avoided media questions about the continuing of state control of Newark's public schools. Some have filed a lawsuit saying the decision is wrong. For more New Jersey news, visit NJ Today online at

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Education Commissioner Cerf Avoids Talk of State Control of Newark Schools - Video

BOSTON, Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --The growing presence of nonprofit universities in online education has ignited unprecedented competition for students who once could choose predominantly among for-profit programs. For the first time a school's brand and its presumed influence in the job market is a competitive differentiator for applicants, according to new paper from The Parthenon Group's Education Practice.

The bread and butter of for-profit online universities such as American Public, Bridgepoint, Capella and the two giants Phoenix and DeVry is the working adult population. Not surprisingly, the top priority of this demographic is to improve career prospects, and The Parthenon Group found that for the first time students are willing to pay a premium of as much as $5,000 to get a degree from a high-profile, nonprofit institution that might abet this goal.

"Competition for students is escalating rapidly between the for-profit and nonprofit sectors," says Chris Ross, a partner in the firm's Education Practice and author of the paper. "You can say the nonprofits, including well-known public universities, have been the sleeping giants. As they scale up in online education, they are moving aggressively into what's been the sole domain of for-profit educators."

Currently, there are 11 nonprofit universities with online enrollments of over 10,000 students and several have surpassed 20,000. Additionally, brand-name schools such as Arizona State University, Boston University, Purdue and the University of Notre Dame are jumping into the market.

The financial stakes are high for the nonprofits and so are the market opportunities. Apollo, the largest for-profit educational corporation, enrolls more students than the 10 largest nonprofit institutions combined. The overall for-profit educational enrollment is approximately 2.5 million, which is double the share from back in 2001.

Moreover, nonprofits for the most part are broadening, as opposed to cannibalizing, their own enrollment market by pushing into online education. "Not only are most online students working, they are older than the typical college enrollee who is aged 18-to-24 and living as a dependent," says Ross.

To date, nearly all nonprofit players in the online market have been inclusive schools that accept most applicants. Selective universities, which make up the preponderance of the 18 million annual post-secondary college enrollment, represent less than 20 percent of online enrollments though the number is growing rapidly.

"They are able to scale up quickly by partnering with online education-services companies like Embanet, Bisk, Deltak and Pearson that offer a full value chain of services that goes well beyond course development," explains Ross. "These services can include innovative recruiting/marketing techniques, processes and student response times that are quite different from traditional nonprofit strategies and are definite competitive strengths."

Competing for Students Across Brand, Price and OutcomeIn the paper, Are the sleeping giants awake? Nonprofit universities enter online education at scale, Ross says all post-secondary institutions will soon compete across brand, price and outcome in new and different ways. For both for-profit and nonprofit sectors Ross sees top-line growth being fueled by three new market "drivers:"

Scale at the degree/program level. Today's applicants consider program first, but as online programs continue to scale, these students will gravitate toward the largest and best-known programs. Program-specific enrollments are the new metric of success.

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Nonprofit Universities Bring Brand Recognition to Online Education

MaRS Innovation and York University's commercialization office support new partnership

TORONTO, Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - In the age of ITunes, videotaping lectures or converting existing textbooks into e-books won't make you the market leader in online education.

Thanks to a new partnership between ClevrU, and NewMindsets Inc., facilitated by MaRS Innovation and York University's commercialization office, Canadian technology and content promises to establish the second-generation online learning standard for millions of students worldwide.

ClevrU, a Waterloo-based tech company, has created a mobile-friendly, e-teaching content delivery platform with advanced tools to create interactive learning environments. ClevrU's intelligent engine helps students and instructors collaborate while adapting course content to suit the individual's personal preferences within a multilingual environment.

The problem? They needed an equally advanced teaching model.

Enter Professors Jean Adams and Gareth Morgan from the Schulich School of Business at York University, the founders of NewMindsets Inc.

Their proven e-teaching model, based on 12 years of research and implementation, breaks up learning sessions into smaller, integrated modules or "learning nuggets" that empower students to discover and understand knowledge.

MaRS Innovation (MI)which commercializes the most promising research breakthroughs from 16 of Toronto's top universities, medical institutions and research institutes, including York Universitymet with Morgan and Adams, in conjunction with York's commercialization office, to assess how to scale their teaching model.

MI staff introduced the professors to ClevrU. Together with York's commercialization staff, they will collaborate with both parties to support the fledgling partnership.

"Students expect interactivity in online learning models," says Dana Fox, president and CEO of ClevrU Corporation. "They want to ask questions, interact with peers and dig deeper into course topics that interest them. We're excited to collaborate with Jean and Gareth, along with MaRS Innovation and York's commercialization office, to jointly create a solution that will give educational institutions a powerful, personalized solution to capture the online learning sector."

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ClevrU partners with Schulich School of Business Professors to target online education market

RESTON, Va., Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --The American Society of Appraisers (ASA) announces a new Cost of Capital advanced online education course for valuation professionals to debut November 1-2, 2012.

Presented by Roger J. Grabowski, ASA, co-author with Shannon Pratt of Cost of Capital: Applications and Examples 4th ed., business valuation veteran with more than 30 years of experience and frequent speaker on cost of capital issues, the course is designed for practitioners who may be unaware of the criticisms of and recent developments in the most commonly used methods for estimating Cost of Capital.

Join Grabowski as he examines the latest issues on data sources, the risk-free rate, the equity risk premium, Beta and other measures of risk, alternative cost of equity capital models, issues with distressed companies, pass-through entities and much more. This course is an update of the Center for Advanced Valuation Studies' Cost of Capital Seminar which Mr. Grabowski developed and has taught.

"We are very excited to move into the online delivery of education for the appraisal industry," said ASA's Sabri Math, Manager of Online Education. "This course and others coming soon will enable busy professionals to learn at their convenience and eliminate expenses and time lost due to travel."

The course will take place online over two days starting November 1 from 11:00am 7:00pm EDT and November 2 from 11:00am to 3:00pm EDT and costs $295 for ASA members with a regular price of $345.

12 hours of continuing professional education (CPE) credits will be awarded. Recommended text: Cost of Capital: Applications and Examples 4th ed. (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2010).

To register or more information visit ASA online at http://www.appraisers.org or call (800) 272-8258.

American Society of Appraisers The American Society of Appraisers (ASA) is an international organization of appraisal professionals and others dedicated to the education, development and growth of the appraisal profession. ASA is the oldest and only major organization representing ALL disciplines of appraisal specialists, originating in 1936 and incorporating in 1952. ASA's headquarters is in the metropolitan Washington, DC area. To learn about membership in ASA or find an accredited appraiser near you, visit http://www.appraisers.org or call (800) 272-8258.

Press Contact: Todd Paradis tparadis@appraisers.org (703) 733-2124

This press release was issued through eReleases Press Release Distribution. For more information, visit http://www.ereleases.com.

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American Society of Appraisers to Debut New Cost of Capital

HOBOKEN, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (NYSE: JWa, JWb), a global provider of content and workflow solutions in areas of scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly research; professional development; and education announced today that it has agreed to acquire Deltak.edu, LLC, a privately held Chicago-based leader in higher education and online learning services, for $220 million. The acquisition, which is expected to close by the end of October, will significantly accelerate Wileys digital learning strategy and diversify the companys service offerings to include operational and academic solutions for higher education institutions. For the fiscal year ended September 2012, Deltaks revenue was $54 million. Deltak will contribute solid growth to both Wileys Global Education business and Wiley overall.

Deltak is a high-growth company that works in close partnership with leading colleges and universities to develop and support fully online degree and certificate programs. The business, founded in 1997, provides technology platforms and services including market research validating program demand, instructional design, marketing, and student recruitment and retention services to leading national and regional colleges and universities throughout the United States to achieve strategic outcomes with online and hybrid program offerings. Today, Deltak supports more than 100 online programs.

A growing number of colleges and universities are looking to enter, expand, and succeed in the online education market. These same institutions often lack the required experience, expertise, and dedicated resources to move rapidly and successfully. Institutions choose to partner with Deltak for their proven model, extensive capabilities, deep experience in higher education, and cultural alignment. The partnership with Deltak allows institutions to achieve strategic objectives by launching online programs, increasing enrollments, and extending their brand with minimal risk and investment.

The acquisition of Deltak will extend Wileys Global Education trajectory into a high-growth segment of the market and bring additional expertise to the organization in such areas as curriculum design, student recruitment services, and next generation technology solutions, said Joseph Heider, Wileys Senior Vice President, Global Education. We will leverage Wiley's publishing assets, student and instructor workflow applications, institutional relationships, and market expertise to add a competitive advantage to Deltak's current offerings and develop new products and services for the higher education market. Well also expand our online learning services to universities worldwide and create opportunities for Deltaks partners to increase their reach to the global markets we serve.

Stephen M. Smith, Wileys President and Chief Executive Officer, added, The exciting combination of Wiley and Deltak provides an opportunity for us to serve the growing needs of a wide range of customers in Higher Education around the world. Looking ahead, it will provide us with a platform for transformative new institutional products and services that will benefit customers across Wiley, including professionals, scholarly society customers, and higher education institutions.

We are very excited to join the John Wiley & Sons, Inc., family, said Craig Pines, Deltaks President and Chief Executive Officer. Wileys scale, digital assets, and international reach will substantially enhance the value we can deliver to our university partners and allow us to accelerate our growth strategies and reach new markets. Of equal importance, our cultures are closely aligned as people-focused organizations with a strong desire to develop our colleagues into leaders.

Deltak is located in Chicago, Orlando, and Denver. The Companys 300+ colleagues will become part of Wiley after the closing. Lazard Middle Market served as financial advisor to Deltak.

Wiley Global Educations mission is to help teachers teach and students learn. The company provides personalized content, tools, and services that deliver demonstrable results to students and faculty at two- and four-year colleges and universities, for-profit career colleges, and advanced-placement classes globally, as well as secondary schools in Australia. In addition to its print and digital textbooks programs, the company offers a variety of cost-effective, flexible print and digital solutions, including customizable solutions and WileyPLUS, a research-based, online environment for effective teaching and learning.

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Wiley to Acquire Deltak.edu, LLC, Leading Provider of Online Degree Program Services

VANCOUVER, Canada, Oct. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- Online Education pioneer macProVideo.com today announces that 25,000 Apple Employees are now members of macProVideo.com. With 70,000 workers worldwide, 1 in 3 Apple employees use macProVideo.com's Online Software Courses to learn new computer skills. A realtime Apple Employee signup counter can be found here:

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121001/CG84305)

http://www.macprovideo.com/apple-loves-us

macProVideo.com's Founder, Martin Sitter, was one of Apple's original courseware authors. After writing several best-selling Apple Pro Training Series Books for Logic Pro, DVD Studio Pro, and Soundtrack Pro, Martin took his trademarked "Nonlinear Educating System" and created macProVideo.com.

According to Sitter, "since the beginning, we've worked closely with Apple to create exceptional software courses. We decided to show our gratitude for their support by offering free MPV Library Passes to all Apple employees, worldwide. To our surprise the offer went viral inside Apple, demonstrating how essential our education is to the staff of the world's most valuable company."

Apple Employees can sign up to receive a macProVideo.com Library Pass on a special webpage located inside their employee Source system. Their accounts are verified and activated only if the Apple employee uses their official "@apple.com" email address during the sign-up process. At $199 per year for an unlimited pass to macProVideo.com's Online Course Library, this represents $5,000,000 USD in training that has been provided to Apple employees.

"Apple employees have viewed nearly 2 million videos from our Online Course Library, making Apple the largest user of our service on the planet," continues Martin, "Apple loves us - you will too."

macProVideo.com is an online education community featuring Tutorial-Videos and Online Courses for popular Audio, Video, and Graphics software including Adobe CS6, iLife, iWork, Logic Pro, Final Cut Pro, and more. With over 22,000 tutorials and 1,200 hours of video available, macProVideo.com is the largest Mac-centric training website in the world. Unrestricted Library Passes start at $25 USD / month, or $199 USD / year.

Martin Sitter is available for interviews and comments about working with Apple, developing for the iOS App Store, and Online Education.

For more information, Visit http://www.macProVideo.com Press Relations: kim@macProVideo.com

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1 in 3 Apple Employees Use macProVideo.com to Learn

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KP8fzO9VRg

28-09-2012 15:04 Every day, 33000 Ohio students attend class not in a building, but through their laptops. The trend of online education has been growing by leaps and bounds over the last ten years. But what's it like to take an online class? Or to teach one? StateImpact Ohio brings you a day with a teacher and a student at ECOT -- the state's largest online school.

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A Day at E-School - Video