In 1998, the Ameritech Foundation, now the SBC Foundation, made a generous $1.5 million, five-year commitment to the University of Michigan (UM) and its community partners to advance the effective use of information technology and to facilitate the sharing of ideas and knowledge.  This grant established the SBC Learning Initiative and recognized the important partnership between SBC, UM, and the broader community. 

The grant supports four University partners:  UM-Ann Arbor School of Information and IT Central Services; UM-Ann Arbor School of Art & Design; UM-Dearborn College of Engineering and Computer Science; and UM-Flint School of Management.  These partners have created a Learning Collaboratory to investigate, evaluate, develop, prototype and implement solutions for expanding the possibilities for distributed education available to frontline educators, with an emphasis on business education. 

The 2001-02 academic year (July 2001 – June 2002) was the fourth year of the SBC Learning Initiative Project.  The UM partners refined and further developed their wide array of activities.  Each made a special effort to recognize the support of SBC and SBC Foundation of their work through both print and electronic communication vehicles.

Highlights of each group’s accomplishments are provided below and are further described in the body of this report.  The report also previews anticipated activities in the final year of the grant, 2002-03, and provides an overview of public relations activities and plans. 

It is anticipated that most of the SBC Learning Initiative grant activities will continue well after the formal conclusion of the grant period.  The University of Michigan thanks SBC Ameritech and SBC Foundation for their partnership in addressing our mission of teaching, research and outreach in the important arena of effective educational technology.

Introduction

Accomplishments

Activities

Plans