This article describes how community colleges have evolved from early computers to virtual campuses and beyond in just a few decades.

The use of mobile technology such as smartphones and tablets is deeply embedded in college life by Generation Z (students born between 1995 and 2010). Using reports generated by the Learning Management System (LMS), this research studied the mobile device access patterns of both undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in courses utilizing the…

E-texts have become a main venue but research has not provided much guidance for practical adaptation, yet. This research query started in the spring of 2014 when an e-text was adopted for an undergraduate distance learning class. The change created some unexpected influence in the students' experiences. It was necessary to assess their…

Student retention in higher education has become a critical focus in recent years. This paper describes the efforts of Lone Star College-Online and its Online Student Support Services unit to build and implement a comprehensive suite of services for online students with the intention of enhancing the online student experience and ultimately,…

University of North Texas (UNT) Libraries began studying the library needs of distance learners in 2009 using a variety of approaches to explore and confirm these needs as well as obtain input into how to meet them. Approaches used to date include analysis of both quantitative and qualitative responses by online students to the LibQUAL+[R] surveys…

In this article, the author talks about telepresence, a combination of real-time video, audio, and interactive technologies that gives people in distributed locations a collaborative experience that's as close to being in the same room as current technology allows. In a culture that's still adjusting to iPhone-size screen displays and choppy cell…

Rapid change in organizational structure sparked a need in one private school district to design and implement an efficient communication system in distance learning environments. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to improve the collaboration process among teachers and administrators in this highly safeguarded population in a way that…

This article presents an interview with Jeremy Koester, an eighth grade math teacher and football coach at Alamo Heights Junior School in San Antonio, Texas. In this interview, Koester describes his use of technology in his classes and describes his dream of advancing Second Life (SL) as a distance education environment. SL is a "3-D virtual…

Online courses are growing in popularity, providing opportunities for individuals to complete their education while overcoming time and distance constraints. Innovations in distance education allow for the design and development of online courses that adapt to meet the specific needs and/or learning styles of the students enrolled, and reflect the…

The Houston Community College System (HCCS) is one of the largest community colleges in the nation, serving over 52,000 students. Though there is no dedicated full-time distance education (DE) librarian at HCCS, "traditional" librarians are meeting the needs of a rapidly growing population of DE and hybrid students by adapting to new…

This theme issue includes five articles that focus on implementing instructional technology in ways that benefit all students, including limited-English-proficient, minority, economically disadvantaged, and at-risk students. "Cruising the Web with English Language Learners" (Laura Chris Green) presents three scenarios using the World…

The evaluation of the Texas Rural Technology (R-Tech) Pilot sought to understand how districts implemented R-Tech grants, the effects of implementation on student and teacher outcomes, as well as the cost effectiveness and sustainability of R-Tech. The Texas legislature (80th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2007) authorized the creation of…

Research on social capital and functional communities provides much needed information on the relationship between rural schools and their communities, and its impact on community viability. Schools are critical to the social and economic viability of rural communities; research suggests that social capital in rural areas has decreased…

House Bill 85 of the 74th Texas Legislature directed the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to formulate a Distance Learning Master Plan for the development of distance learning and other applications of instructional electronic technology by institutions of higher education. The Plan is to address: coordination and integration of distance…

"The Long-Range Plan for Technology" was adopted by the Texas State Board of Education in November 1988. This progress report details accomplishments through August 1992 in the following categories: (1) hardware procurement and purchase; (2) courseware adoption and provision; (3) training and certification; (4) delivery systems; and (5)…