The Internet and growth of computer networks have eliminated geographic barriers, creating an environment where education can be brought to a student no matter where that student may be. The success of distance learning programs and the availability of many Web-supported applications and multimedia resources have increased the effectiveness of…

This book, written by authors representing 12 countries and five continents, is a collection of international perspectives on distance learning and distance learning implementations in higher education. The perspectives are presented in the form of practical case studies of distance learning implementations, research studies on teaching and…

This study examined the interrelationship between the support system and learning materials of a distance learning source and the influence this relationship has on students' experiences and approaches to learning. Learners' experiences with two different distance learning courses which used the same learning materials but different support…

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the variables found to influence learning in laboratory settings were able to produce effective student achievement when utilized in Venezuelan distance education. Three versions of the same instructional content were employed, and 42 volunteer college students were randomly assigned to three…

This study investigated the efficiency of video as an additional teaching aid for a statistics course offered by the Fernuniversitat (Open University, West Germany). A total of 65 distance students and internal students from the Universities of Bochum and Dortmund were divided into five groups to test the effects of five alternative treatments:…

Data on Canadian university media centers gathered through a survey of their directors are compared to develop a profile of center budgets, personnel levels, and activities. Analysis of the data from 19 respondents suggests that distance education will be the direction of future development. (Author/LRW)

Essentially concerned with distance education as innovation in higher education, this paper identifies specific aspects of this innovation through references to three Canadian institutions offering university level courses for credit. It is primarily concerned with Athabasca University in Alberta, a distance education university which originally…

Student-faculty contact is widely accepted as influencing retention within campus-based programs. The difficulties of implementing such contact within a distance learning environment magnify its importance as a topic for investigation. This study sought to evaluate the effect of faculty initiated contacts on student persistence within a large…

With the advent of new technologies, more convenient and effective ways of learning are being adopted. However, despite the growing advancements there remains a lack of literature in applications of using these technology teaching approaches. This book offers in-depth analysis of new technologies in blended learning that promote creativity,…

Summarizes differences between face-to-face and distance learners at Fernuniversitat (West Germany) in terms of demographics, motivation, study conditions, and personal consequences, in order to provide some empirically derived insights into the psychological consequences of distance learning for learners. (MBR)

Outlines a plan to provide professional, graduate-level courses to adult students off-campus. Based on experiences at the British Open University, audiocassettes and printed support materials were used at Brigham Young University as the delivery system for a management course. The examination scores of on-campus and off-campus students are…

Made up of four separate reports, this document presents comparisons and student comments for five Annenberg/CPB (Corporation for Public Broadcasting) telecourses offered in the fall of 1984: The Brain, Mind and Behavior; The Constitution: That Delicate Balance; The Write Course; The New Literacy; and Congress: We the People. Based on evaluations…

Compares the approaches to study of external students to those of a matching sample of internal students and discusses the relevance of current learning theories to studies of mature external students. The usefulness of the "Approaches of Studying" inventory for describing study habits of external students is also examined. (MBR)

Existing knowledge of computer conferencing is synthesized to indicate how it could address some of the current professional difficulties faced by Ontario teachers with regard to computers in the classroom, and strategies and guidelines for introducing such a computer-mediated learning approach into educational activities are provided. This report…

Describes a pilot project in Alberta designed to provide training for the staff of small rural school and public libraries through various distance delivery methods. Reported results include demographics of the rural librarian population; evaluation of courses offered; and comparison of delivery modes by student satisfaction, effectiveness, and…