I agree that an organization for coordination is needed, and that
professional standing will be required. One of the advantages for the
professionals in all this, to say nothing of the advantages to students,
is the ability for those of us in the Outback (literal, figurative, or
budgetary) to participate as equals. Most professional organizations are
(rightfully) dominated by those who can attend regularly and often;
those who can do so are often well funded, have light teaching loads,
and school policy that promotes and rewards such activities. For this
reason, as you debate the pros and cons of a new organization, I would
urge you to 1) keep the membership truly global, 2) keep the meetings
and conferences on line; don't make expensive travel a prerequisite for
membership, participation, or governance, and 3) be inclusive to all
forms of innovative teaching/learning.
Thanks very much for this forum! Jerry Nelson
-- Gerald "Jerry" E. Nelson, Ph.D. Chair, Physical Sciences Casper College 125 College Drive, Casper, Wyoming 82601 Office: 307-268-2348, FAX: 268-2041, Home: 266-6440 Personal Homepage: http://wind.cc.whecn.edu/~gnelson/index.html