Hal Plotkin, senior policy advisor to the U.S. Under Secretary of Education, will deliver the keynote address at the Sloan Consortium International Conference on Online Learning in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., on Wednesday, Nov. 20. Plotkin will discuss the role innovative approaches to online learning will play in improving the quality of teaching and learning, lowering the cost of a high-quality postsecondary education and meeting President Obama's 2020 goal of America having the highest proportion of college graduates in the world. His presentation is titled "The Role of Online and Technology-Enabled Learning in Meeting President Obama's 2020 Graduation Goal."
The Under Secretary's Office coordinates policies, programs, and activities related to vocational and adult education, postsecondary education, college aid, and the President's financial reforms for the Pell Grant Program.
This three-day event from Nov. 20-22 marks the 19th annual conference for Sloan, and will address blended learning, issues of diversity, international applications of online learning, open educational resources, social networking, online learning and community colleges, and K-12 online education as well as other topics of common interest.