Dear Colleagues,

Last week's eTech Ohio Technology Conference was exciting for so many ways, especially the official announcement of INFOhio's 21st Century Learning Commons, a place to learn and share 21st century teaching and learning resources and practice ideas. With an overflow audience in attendance at our kickoff session to hundreds of booth and pavilion visitors, attendees were able to see the Learning Commons in operation. Scores of educators have already registered, and now it's your turn!

The Learning Commons has a variety of components, including:

- Professional development opportunities. By participating in our self-paced online course, “21 Essential Things for 21st Century Success,” educators will learn how to integrate 21st century skills into their classroom instruction. They may use these modules without cost for their own learning. For those interested in credit, there are several options including individual module CEUs, graduate college credit, or a 21st Century Skills Certificate with a specialization in Media and Information Research.

- Information on 21st century learning skills. Focus on 21st century student outcomes with new technologies to help students master the skills they will need to be successful in the 21st century.

- INFOhio videos that will help educators, students and parents learn more about some of INFOhio's most popular online resources.

- Glossary that continues to grow and expand. There are three separate glossaries of terms relevant to Web 2.0 technologies, 21st century skills and information Literacy and research. Each glossary is searchable independently or as a single collection of terms.

- Discussion Forums. Using INFOhio's discussion forums, educators can collaborate with peers while completing their coursework.

Registration is free at http://learningcommons.infohio.org/ , and I encourage you to register, take a look around and join the Learning Commons community. If you already know everything about the 21 Essential Things, you need to join the Forum and share your wisdom! If not, you can benefit from working through the Things to get up to speed. There are CEU and graduate credit options for those interested.

Everyone in the INFOhio community can be proud that the Learning Commons and its "21 Essential Things" result from the efforts of our Ohio colleagues. I want to thank Melissa Higgs-Horwell and Jennifer Schwelik, lead authors, their writing team, the editorial review team, and INFOhio staff for developing this exciting and valuable learning environment. My thanks also go to INFOhio Governing Board member Roger Minier, NWOET/Bowling Green State University, for coordinating the CEU/Graduate Credit opportunities available for participation in the Learning Commons.

More information and links can be found on our recent announcement, http://www.infohio.org/ABOUT/Announcements/20100201.html . If you have any questions about the Learning Commons, contact me at central@infohio.org.

Sincerely,

Theresa M. Fredericka

INFOhio Executive Director