Rather than merely being a televised version of a classroom lecture, a true telecourse uses television to present information that is best conveyed visually and employs various methods (e.g., study guides, mailed assignments, special review sessions, and exams scheduled at community sites) to replace other classroom activities. Coastline Community…

The Dallas County Community College District developed and implemented a strategic plan for communications that utilizes a county-wide integrated network to carry voice, data, and video information to nine locations within the district. The network, which was installed and operational by March 1987, utilizes microwave, fiber optics, digital cross…

In spring 1983, a pilot project was implemented at Cuyahoga Community College (CCC) to conduct a section of a low enrollment course, "The Psychology of Aging," in the main campus's television studio, with two-way communication between the main campus and the two suburban campuses. The project's success was assisted by insuring job…

The development of new communications technology is likely to transform everyday life in the coming decades, and a central question for educators is whether and how such technologies can be used to advance the education of both the historically disenfranchised and of those who are already educated but desire or need more education. In an effort to…

Waubonsee Community College (WCC) employs electronic technology to meet the needs of its students and community in virtually every phase of campus operations. WCC's Information System Center, housing three mainframe computers, drives an online registration system, a computerized self-registration system that can be accessed by telephone from…

Asserting that the traditional system of higher education is not capable of meeting the ever-increasing demands of a developing country such as India, this paper suggests possible alternative methods of higher education. In addition to in-depth descriptions of the United Kingdom's Open University at Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, and the Regional…

In 1989, community access television emerged in Cleveland (Ohio) with the establishment of a non-profit corporation, the Cleveland Community Access Corporation (CCAC), providing five community access channels. Cuyahoga Community College (CCC) was closely associated with the project from the beginning, contributing significant technical,…

Thirteen half-hour television programs entitled "The Geography of Tourism" developed for use in Wilfrid Laurier University's (Canada) distance education program are discussed. Distance education embraces teaching, or communicating with, students who are not physically in the classroom with the instructor. The central theme of the series…

Three telecourse programs offering high school credit courses via interactive satellite communication are described and evaluated. German by Satellite and Physics by Satellite from Oklahoma State University feature biweekly 40-minute broadcasts with audio interaction via regular telephone lines and microcomputer voice recognition software at…

An evaluative questionnaire completed by 30 high school principals and 159 high school students who used the TI-IN Network demonstrated the advantages of interactive satellite television instruction for rural and small schools. The study found that a large number of subscribers to TI-IN were small rural high schools whose principals stated that…

Chattanooga State Technical Community College (CSTCC), in Tennessee, offers distance learning courses through Instructional Television Fixed Service (ITFS) broadcast, through broadcasts of a local public television affiliate station, and through video cassette checkout/mailout. By the end of fiscal year 1991-92, over 2,500 students had enrolled in…

High school administrators in sparsely populated rural areas are showing great interest in interactive satellite instruction as a way to resolve teacher shortages and meet rigorous state graduation requirements. Televised classes permitting live teacher/student interaction via satellite communication systems and regular telephone lines provide…

This paper summarizes the 16 projects that have been funded by the Minnesota Extension Service to demonstrate innovative and effective uses of technology in adult education. Several of the projects are described in detail. Actual and anticipated impacts are examined, and suggested strategies that others can apply to reach and empower rural adult…

The paper details development, implementation, and user research/evaluation of TI-IN Network, Inc., the first private, interactive satellite based educational system in the United States developed for public schools and offering a total systems approach by providing both user technology and a wide range of course offerings. An overview of specific…