Dear colleagues, Vol. 9, No. 2 of the MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching (JOLT at http://jolt.merlot.org/) has been published and is available online. The contents of the issue are listed below. In this issue you will find 12 peer-reviewed scholarly articles, nine of which comprise the much-awaited Special Issue on Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), guest edited by Dr. George Siemens (Athabasca University), Dr. Valerie Irvine (University of Victoria), and Dr. Jillianne Code (University of Victoria). The remaining three articles are regular-issue articles relating to various aspects of online education. I hope you will find several articles of interest, and that you will take the time to forward this notice to colleagues who might also be interested. Due to the overwhelming interest and the large number of high-quality submissions we received for the MOOCs special issue, we will be publishing a second special section on this topic as part of an upcoming issue. If you would like to register to receive notification of newly published JOLT issues, including the issue containing the upcoming special section, you may do so at the following URL: http://grapevine.merlot.org/joltnews/joltlistserv.php?action=add . Kind regards, Mark J. W. Lee Editor, MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching *** JOLT VOL. 9, NO. 2 CONTENTS *** ** SPECIAL ISSUE ON MASSIVE OPEN ONLINE COURSES ** A Message from the MERLOT Executive Director: MOOCs, MERLOT, and Open Educational Services Gerard L. Hanley i-ii Guest Editors' Preface to the Special Issue on MOOCs: An Academic Perspective on an Emerging Technological and Social Trend George Siemens, Valerie Irvine, and Jillianne Code iii-vi * Research Papers * Patterns of Engagement in Connectivist MOOCs Colin Milligan, Allison Littlejohn, and Anoush Margaryan 149-159 Learner Participation and Engagement in Open Online Courses: Insights from the Peer 2 Peer University June Ahn, Brian S. Butler, Alisha Alam, Sarah A. Webster 160-171 Realigning Higher Education for the 21st Century Learner through Multi-Access Learning Valerie Irvine, Jillianne Code, and Luke Richards 172-186 * Case Studies * Wrapping a MOOC: Student Perceptions of an Experiment in Blended Learning Derek O. Bruff, Douglas H. Fisher, Kathryn E. McEwen, and Blaine E. Smith 187-199 Liminal Participants and Skilled Orienteers: Learner Participation in a MOOC for New Lecturers Marion Waite, Jenny Mackness, George Roberts, and Elizabeth Lovegrove 200-215 * Concept Paper * Evaluating the Strategic and Leadership Challenges of MOOCs Stephen Marshall 216-227 * Position Papers * Massiveness + Openness = New Literacies of Participation? Bonnie Stewart 228-238 The Inside Story: Campus Decision Making in the Wake of the Latest MOOC Tsunami Marilyn M. Lombardi 239-248 MOOCs and the Liberal Arts College Claudia W. Scholz 249-260 ** REGULAR ISSUE PAPERS ** * Research Paper * Investigating Student Engagement in an Online Mathematics Course through Windows into Teaching and Learning Teresa Petty and Abiola Farinde 261-270 * Case Studies * Blended Learning: An Institutional Approach for Enhancing Students' Learning Experiences Joanna Poon 271-289 Online Student Support Services: A Case Based on Quality Frameworks Barbara L. Stewart, Carole E. Goodson, Susan L. Miertschin, Marcella L. Norwood, and Shirley Ezell 290-303