The Columbia Center for New Media Teaching and Learning has expanded its strategic initiative to promote global learning projects to encompass online and distance learning. The initiative is now called "Global and Distance Learning: Learning Beyond Boundaries," reflecting the growing interest in online and distance learning at Columbia and at other universities.

CCNMTL has relaunched the initiative’s website, which features its global and distance learning projects and information for faculty, schools, and departments interested in working with CCNMTL on similar efforts. The site also includes announcements, links to related news, and information on global and online learning efforts across the University.

This spring CCNMTL has held workshops on best practices for online and distance learning. Topics included using video and social media to create a sense of community among students in a global, online course; reviews of recent educational research; and ways faculty can effectively map existing curricula onto online courses.

Jami Carlacio, Ph.D., recently joined the Center's staff to lead the Global and Distance Learning Initiative. An experienced writer and editor with a Ph.D. in English from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Jami has taught online writing classes at multiple universities. Since joining the Center, Jami has initiated conversations with schools and departments at Columbia that will inform CCNMTL’s future projects in global and distance learning.