The effective integration of current technologies in teaching and research is a high priority for today's universities. To support the technology skills of university faculty, staff, and students, the subject university's office for faculty training and support, provides free, 24/7 access to a collection of online technology tutorials leased from…

The purpose of this program evaluation study was to design, implement, and evaluate the effectiveness of incorporating an online learning community as part of a comprehensive new-teacher induction program. The researcher, who serves as the middle school principal and new induction coordinator for the school district, used a mixed-method approach…

The University of Sydney is a large, research-intensive, campus-based Australian University. Since 2004 a strategic initiative of project-based eLearning support has been creating teams of non-academic and academic staff, who have worked together to develop online resources to meet identified needs. The University's aims in continuing to provide…

In the last 10 years, an approach to electronic distance education called audiographic computerized telelearning using standard telephone lines has come to the fore. Telelearning is a cost-effective system which optimizes existing computer facilities and creates a teaching-learning environment that is interactive, efficient, and adaptable to a…

This report of the proceedings of the 50th anniversary year of the International Council for Distance Education (ICDE) includes: (1) the text of the address given by Kevin Smith, the outgoing president of the organization; (2) a review by the outgoing president of activities of the ICDE during its first 50 years (from 1938 to 1988); (3) the text…

Describes how to design an interactive course for the Internet, using as an example the development of a graduate course entitled Accessing Information through Technology. Course design includes development of a needs assessment, goal analysis, student assessment, instructional strategy, and course evaluation. (SM)

The use of different types of media for distance education, and the examination and evaluation of a computer-based distance training program in Thailand are the focus of this paper. After a discussion of the characteristics and types of media-based distance education--including print-based, audio-based, video-based, and computer-based…

This project had three goals: (1) to seek out the policies and practices currently in place to prepare academic teaching staff to develop, write, and teach in distance education; (2) to identify effective professional preparation and staff development practices for distance education currently in use in Australian postsecondary institutions; and…

We discuss the development of an instructional design model, WisCom (Wisdom Communities), based on socio-constructivist and sociocultural learning philosophies and distance education principles for the development of online wisdom communities, and the application and evaluation of the model in an online graduate course in the USA. The WisCom model…

This report outlines the results of two technology-based open learning pilot projects which focused on 600 women living in rural areas of the Southland and Hauraki-Coromandel regions of New Zealand. The technologies used were computer-assisted instruction, teleconferencing, and audio- and videotape recordings. An outline of project steering…

This paper describes the conceptualization and development of an evaluation system that can be used to monitor and evaluate online instructional efforts. The evaluation system addresses concerns of both program administrators and course instructors. Computer technology is used to provide partial automation to reduce respondent burden and to…

Presents the case that evaluation is an essential element of successful distance education programs. Uses a synthesis of the program evaluation and distance education research literature to form a framework for conducting evaluations of online programs. Evaluators should assess student performance, determine program and cost effectiveness, monitor…

Explores the educational quality of the Postgraduate Awards Scheme in the Faculty of Strathclyde University (Scotland) that facilitates programs of continuous professional development through a flexible structure of credit accumulation leading to a postgraduate certificate, a diploma, and ultimately, a master's degree. (AEF)

This document provides an overview of the current literature on distance education. A historical perspective and definitions associated with distance education are presented in the first section. The following theories are also discussed: independence and autonomy; industrialization of teaching; and interaction and communication. A synthesis of…

Distance learning is rapidly gaining acceptance as a valid means of course delivery in educational institutions across the country, and these institutions are struggling to enhance the quality of teaching,learning and scholarship over the Internet, while trying to effectively integrate this type of instruction into the curriculum. Increasingly,…