This paper evaluates the effects of federal initiatives in educational technology in elementary and secondary education over the past half-century. While federal resources have been diluted across many programs, this paper focuses on the few initiatives in which the federal role was substantial and integral. The findings from this paper have…

This lecture considers the effectiveness of television as a medium for distance education in light of the experiences of the Open University in Great Britain. The main theses of the paper are that television is an important component of high quality open and distance education, but only when its unique teaching characteristics are exploited, and…

Learning by television is not a new phenomenon and, as an educational medium, it has gone through some severe growing pains. Unfortunately, while advances in technologies (cable, home recorders, satellites, teleconferencing) have contributed to an increase in the number of telecourses since the mid-1970s, faculty are often unprepared to teach…

Designed to follow-up a 1981 survey, this study assessed the current status of instructional television (ITV) utilization in the public schools of Maryland and compared current usage with that of the 1980-81 school year. Separate questionnaires organized around four major study questions were designed for teachers, library media specialists,…

The first part of this paper summarizes the experiences of the Open University in using print, television, and radio to provide postsecondary education to adults. Descriptions of these three components are followed by details on the functions served by each; i.e., how print, television, and radio differ in their ability to educate, and how the…

Reported are viewers' comments of some recently broadcasted science education programs in Great Britain. Explores the impact of these programs on children in the classroom, the pupils' appreciation and what the children learn. Synthesizes these opinions into recommendations for successful science education broadcasting. (CW)

Since 1978, the University of Victoria has offered courses to students in British Columbia, using an interactive satellite delivery system. During that time both the system and the course design have become more sophisticated. Principles underlying program design include focusing on the learner and communication with learners, and basing televised…

This report discusses research related to the educational potential of 3-2-1 CONTACT, a PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) series on science and technology, which was produced by the Children's Television Workshop for a primary target audience of 8- to 12-year-olds in both home and school settings. Conducted over a 6-year period (1977-83), this…

Unavoidable absences of both students and teachers in college preparatory math classes adversely affected achievement and produced academic frustration in a moderately affluent urban high school. In order to reduce the frustration level and to promote continuity and meaningful activity on teacher absence days, videotaped reviews of material…