In 2019, The Open University celebrated its 50th anniversary. For most of its fifty years it has been delivering statistics education to both specialists and non-specialists, simultaneously and at scale. A single module must deliver statistics teaching across multiple qualifications in many different disciplines which means it is not possible to…

The Open University (OU) makes a proportion of all its taught modules available to the public via OpenLearn each year. This process involves the modification, of module excerpts, showcasing subject matter and teaching approach. This activity serves both the University's social and business missions through the delivery of free courses to the…

The School of Science and Technology of "Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University (YCMOU)" has proposed to offer "Web Based Live Teaching Learning Support" from "real" teacher, with "Live Virtual Online Class (LVOC)" integrated with "Learning Management System (LMS)" for all courses of all…

In the past eLearning has been introduced by many public universities however a concise IT-strategy was not followed during implementation. Different learning platforms were acquired by different departments and no systematic approach was set up to give support for course development, eTutoring or upgrading and archiving of electronic files.…

In distance education, communications among students, educators, and administrators have been one of the most important problems. The distance education programs in The Open University of Hong Kong (OUHK) span not only Hong Kong but also many cities over a large area in China. To improve and monitor the quality of communications among students,…

The governments of China and South Korea have supported the development of distance education both legislatively and financially. The use of traditional media for this purpose has been successful in both countries, though the evolution to Internet-based education has been only partially successful. This report describes this process in terms of…

Discusses issues related to open and distance-learning (ODL) in developing countries, using the virtual campus initiative of the Indira Gandhi National Open University (India) as an example and model of on-line program delivery and on-line, for-profit telelearning centers. Suggests strategies to enable open and distance-learning institutions to…

This article discusses a variety of women's studies courses available in Australia at the pretertiary, undergraduate, and postgraduate levels. The article specifically describes the Interuniversity Exchange program (offering an undergraduate degree based on external courses at three universities) and postgraduate external degree programs at…

The president of the University of Mid-America describes the past growth and future direction of this seven-state consortium which produces and distributes multimedia courses and provides alternative learning opportunities to underserved adult learners. (SK)

This report begins by briefly reviewing actions that have been taken since the idea of an Open University in Tanzania was first proposed in the late 1970s. The main body of the report begins with a discussion of the role of media technology in an open university with emphasis on delivery and support systems. The current situation in Tanzania is…

This report is made up of 20 case descriptions of tertiary level distance-delivered educational programs developed specifically for indigenous students in three countries: Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Included in each case is a description of the institutions and stakeholders involved in each course or program, history of the initiative,…

Seventy postsecondary programs that use one or more telecommunications technologies to serve learners are described, and current patterns and trends, and projections about future problems and possibilities, are discussed. The purpose of the guide is to encourage educators to focus attention on the educational problem before considering which, if…

Descriptions of experiences with Open University programs for womens' education in two areas of England illustrate the need for regional support networks to encourage participation in continuing education. Such support services would accommodate the counseling and scheduling needs of reentry women, particularly mothers and homemakers. (MSE)

A case study of the Directorate of Correspondence Courses at Panjab University, an Open University school in India, is presented. Areas of discussion include characteristics of the country, the educational system in India, and the Directorate of Correspondence Courses. Specific topics include: the physical setting; the population; the economy; the…

A case study of the correspondence and open studies unit of the University of Lagos, an Open University school, is presented. Areas of discussion include characteristics of the country, the educational system in Nigeria, and the correspondence and open studies unit. Specific topics include: the physical setting of Nigeria; the population; the…