Describes a study that examined current practices of distance educators regarding their use of synchronous (chat) and asynchronous (bulletin board) text-based communication in online courses, based on an ongoing worldwide online survey of distance educators. Discusses reasons for using each type of communication and offers recommendations for…

Describes streaming media, an audio/video presentation that is delivered across a network so that it is viewed while being downloaded onto the user's computer, including a continuous stream of video that can be pre-recorded or live. Discusses its use for nontraditional students in higher education and reports on implementation experiences. (LRW)

Describes the design and development of an Internet-based distance education class at the University of Northern Iowa. Discusses collaboration with students, basic course design, conceptual and epistemological context of the course, delivery environment, and forms of interaction including electronic mail. (LRW)

Reviews the possibilities of using the World Wide Web for course delivery and support and provides a description of the use of one instructional model, the Personalized System of Instruction, for Web course design based on experiences at Texas Tech University. Discusses problems and describes a sample course. (LRW)

Discusses faster modems and the limits of telephone lines; applying classroom teaching principles to the Web courseware; computer-based education (CBE) versus instructor-led distance education; necessary components of a Web-based CBE instructional solution (management, courseware, groupware); anatomy and components of the PLATO courseware system;…

Discusses use of the Internet in higher education. Topics include online teaching and the World Wide Web; online distance learning; instructional design; Internet course development; converting traditional courses to online courses; evaluation of online programs; and advantages of Internet support of traditional courses. (Contains 55 references.)…

Describes a study that was conducted to learn about the needs of distance education students who were enrolled in television-based college courses. Student characteristics are examined; barriers to attending on-campus courses are described; and computer use at home, at work, and on-campus is discussed. (LRW)

Reports results of a survey conducted to determine perceptions of the barriers to distance education. Sixty-four barriers were determined from a review of the literature and clustered into the following 10 factors, based on survey responses: administrative structure; organizational change; technical expertise; social interaction and quality;…

Describes developments in British education in distance learning technologies. Highlights include networking the rural areas; communication, community, and paradigm shifts; digital compression techniques and telematics; Web-based material delivered over the Internet; system flexibility; social support; learning support; videoconferencing; and…

Describes the development of a distance education graduate course at Arizona State University; the course is text-based, supported by the Internet and computer conferencing. Discusses course planning and design factors, implementation strategies, technical considerations, students' evaluations, and instructor perspectives. (AEF)

Discussion of use of the Internet for distance learning examines non-traditional students, computer-based training programs, Computer Gateway Interface (CGI), creating tests on the World Wide Web, types of Web testing, programming and software, and the future of Internet-based instruction. (LRW)

Demonstrates the use of foundational elements of Keiretsu to construct a feasible model for the effective and efficient use of technology in distance education. Six major models of distance education are described; and concerns in distance education are discussed, including access, human interaction, fiscal concerns, and technology concerns. (16…

Describes an incremental approach to implementing a Web-based course in higher education based on experiences in South Africa and some in North America. Discusses gradually increasing faculty involvement; faculty support; departmental efforts; the use of email; distance education possibilities; and totally online courses. (LRW)

Focusing on university programs for adult learners, this discussion of distance education reviews existing programs, including the British Open University and the Annenberg/CPB Project; discusses course design; and describes the integration of a variety of media including television, video cassettes, audio, computer assisted instruction, radio,…

Observations and interviews of community college students taking a class via interactive video revealed six primary themes of students' concerns and perceptions. Results indicate that further exploration is needed in classroom climate, apprehension, interaction, feedback, and learning styles. (AEF)