The perpetual connectivity made possible by twenty-first-century technology has profoundly affected instruction and learning. Emerging technologies that upend traditional notions of communication and community also influence the ways we design and evaluate instruction and how we understand learning and learning environments. In "Instruction and…

This paper reviews past research that focused on questions of culture in distance learning. Of specific interest are the studies that examined the influence of culture on students' learning and engagement in asynchronous learning networks (ALNs). The purpose of this review is three-fold: to present the state of knowledge concerning the questions…

Based on a review of the literature and the authors' experience, this article addresses issues in three aspects of the planning and delivery of online content: (1) online support services; (2) technology assistance; and (3) course content. Recommendations are given for administrators and instructors involved in the delivery of online coursework in…

The Internet environment is suitable for many types of learning activities and teaching and learning styles. Every World Wide Web-based course should provide: home page; introduction; course overview; course requirements, vital information; roles and responsibilities; assignments; schedule; resources; sample tests; teacher biography; course…

This project proposal describes a pilot project, "Regional Course Sharing Through Technology," at Chadron State College, Nebraska, which utilizes telecommunications to enable small, rural schools to share teaching staff among several schools. Away from the highly populated urban areas of Nebraska, most school districts are widely…

This publication, which consists of selected readings from volumes 1-5 of The American Journal of Distance Education, is designed for corporate and military trainers who want research-grounded materials that can be used in programs that train trainers. The 12 articles, whose authors come from the army, navy, and airforce, from universities and…

Designed to stimulate course planning teams to consider a wide range of technological options at the start of the course design process, this paper focuses on ways in which technology can be used to design, produce, and present European-wide distance education courses. The more detailed objectives of the paper are to look at how technology may…

This handbook introduces some fundamental ideas on designing, implementing, and facilitating a distance learning course. It offers specific strategies for topics ranging from choosing delivery technologies to encouraging collaboration among scattered distance-learning students to testing and other evaluation methodologies. The book is broken down…

Distance learning networks make training and advanced education possible when time and budgetary constraints make face-to-face training difficult. To make distance learning work, instructors and providers must harness the potential of synchronous and asynchronous communication technologies to create powerful, learner-centered networks. Support…

Describes a regional forum on "distance learning" (including telephone, radio or television, and downloading computer software from a central location) that was sponsored by the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory. (TE)

This book provides information for researchers and practitioners on the current issues and best practices associated with electronic learning communities. Fourteen contributed chapters include: "Interactive Online Educational Experiences: E-volution of Graded Projects" (James Benjamin); "Hybrid Courses as Learning Communities"…

This guide to developing and teaching an on-line course is intended to lead the instructor through the steps of course development, on-line teaching, and on-line assessment. It emphasizes principles of course design which are outcome-based, performance-assessed, and collaborative. The guide's nine chapters cover the following aspects of course…

Substance abuse is pervasive in both rural and urban settings. Previous attempts to educate America's youth as to its dangers have not reduced the numbers of adolescents involved in the drug culture. The assertiveness-based "Just Say No" campaign attempts to counter peer pressure to use drugs, but is hampered by our society's…

This book shows organizations how to move beyond the initial phases of setting up a distance training program to making it a part of the strategic planning process, including infrastructure, budget, staffing, and policy planning. It examines distance training programs in 17 leading-edge for-profit, nonprofit, and government organizations,…

A Mechanics 12 course was chosen by the Alberta Correspondence School for a field trial of computerized delivery systems of vocational education programs to small rural schools where enrollment is low and the construction of vocational laboratories is economically impractical. The Telidon videotex system, which was initially selected, is composed…