Our conference keynote speaker and presenter, Curtis Bonk, has a new book coming out called The World Is Open. It talks about web-based technology and how it has opened up education around the globe so that people can learn nearly anything from anyone at any time. Bonk's book looks at this open world of learning and covers key technology and learning trends. It is due to hit bookstores in about a month. To learn more and access the companion e‐book, book references, and weblinks visit: http://worldisopen.com/.
Bonk is already generating buzz. He was extensively quoted in a recent Inside Higher Ed News article about an Obama administration plan that would provide community colleges and high schools with federal funds to create free, online courses. Initial reports say there will be nine billion dollars over the next ten years invested in this free online education. It is a very interesting article, especially for those of us in the eLearning field. Check the article out at http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2009/06/29/ccplan.
The CPDE Team is narrowing down the possibilities for Curtis Bonk's session topics. You will see a post here shortly with the titles and descriptions of his pre-conference and conference sessions. We hope you will get to meet Curtis Bonk and laugh and learn with him in the sessions he presents at the Heartland Conference.
