During 2007 the Board is working on the following major projects.

Project Name: Online Learner Competencies
Project Leader: Michael Beaudoin
Project Team: Mike Spector, Jan Visser, Lya Visser, Robin Yap, Ileana De La Teja, Tim Spannaus, Rod Sims, Michael Beaudoin
Project Description: In light of current interest in online learning, the ibstpi® board decided in February 2004 to embark on a new project to identify and validate learner competencies in online settings, at different levels and for multiple purposes. Growing interest in online learning is reflected in an increased number of related conferences, research/publications, and web forums. The general focus however tends to be around technology, management, or instruction in online environments, rarely addressing the learner's experience. The board believes that online learning environments provide learners with a range of challenges that are potentially more diverse than in face-to-face settings and that these are not currently addressed in proportion to other online topics.

In addition, the board believes that online learner competencies and their specific performances will also be relevant for learners in more traditional contexts. In fact, establishing the set of competencies and performances that learners in the 21st century should master is hoped to contribute to changing learner and instructor behaviors in face-to-face learning settings as well and to provide guidance to educators regarding learner preparation in general. A team of board members is currently leading this effort and reports to the board regularly.

Project Name: Evaluator Competencies
Project Leader: Darlene Russ-Eft
Project Description: In June 2004 the Board launched a project to identify the competencies needed by internal staff or external consultants conducting evaluations in the following settings:
* For-profit and not-for-profit organizations
* The military
* Government agencies evaluating their own internal programs.
The competencies needed by such individuals may be somewhat different from those needed by evaluators examining the effectiveness of large scale state-wide or national programs often funded by government departments or agencies. Competencies for such large scale evaluations are provided by American Evaluation Association for example, and are covered in numerous textbooks on program evaluation.

The new Standards for Evaluators will be released mid-2006, and a book about the competencies should be available in 2007.