Reduced training costs, worldwide accessibility, and improved technological capabilities have made Web-based training (WBT) a viable alternative to classroom instruction. WBT enables businesses to cut their training costs. Efficiency of operation is another major advantage of WBT. The flexibility of time, place, and programs offered via WBT…

This comparison is based on the authors' selective review of literature, observations of Montessori preschools in America and Australia, and experience in early childhood teacher education in Australia. The discussion explores general educational objectives, curricula, children's activities, instructional approaches, and teacher role in preschools…

This digest discusses some of the practical implications of using alternative methods of assessing students in foreign or second language classrooms. First, assessment and testing are contrasted, and assessment is defined as an ongoing strategy through which student learning is not only monitored, but by which students are involved in making…

The perception is that most studies on distance education or the use of technology are poorly designed or prone to incomplete analyses. This is true of the simple comparison study, where student outcomes are compared to those of students in a traditional course. Such studies are the basis for the often cited conclusion that there is no significant…

Electronic learning, also known as e-learning, is generally defined as instruction and learning experiences that are delivered via electronic technology such as the Internet, audiotape and videotape, satellite broadcast, interactive television, and CD-ROM. Web-based learning, computer-based learning, and virtual classrooms are some of the…

This document examines issues and techniques related to assessment of online learning for adult, career, and vocational education. The document begins with an overview of the disadvantages of assessing at a distance and the issue of security in the online environment. The following aspects of continuous assessment are discussed: characteristics…

The use of contextualized learning environments with learners who are at risk of school failure arises from the recognition that students who are introduced to concepts and strategies out of a meaningful context will view them as irrelevant to daily life. Contexts created by teachers using videotape and random access videodisc technologies have…

Collaborative learning refers to small-group instruction that incorporates five elements: clear, positive interdependence among students; group self-evaluation; interpersonal behaviors that promote each member's learning; individual accountability; and frequent use of small-group social skills. These elements have been implemented in colleges…

Many studies have verified that education beyond high school results in higher earnings. The highest earnings benefits depend upon certification or degree achievement. Not obtaining a degree results in some penalty: individuals who have some college credit but no degree earn less than associate degree holders. Professional and vocational…

Adult continuing education practitioners in the United States can improve their planning and decision making by developing an understanding of major societal influences on their programs. One way of understanding local influences is to learn about such influences on educational programs for adults in other national settings. This monograph is…