The author, a programme leader for a Post Graduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (PGCLTHE), hears a complaint from her colleagues that undergraduate students require "spoon-feeding". Accepting structuralism's argument that language does things, not just describe them, the author examines "spoon-feeding" in more depth.…

In an effort to enlarge the debate on the use of worksheets within Scotland's schools, two teachers who use this approach extensively were invited to present their views, and other educators were invited to react to them. The first part of this report includes a discussion of teachers' views on learning, their perceptions on language development,…

This paper begins with background on the objectives, courses, and students of the British Open University. The aims and structure of a proposed modern language program are then outlined, and plans for using print, television/video, radio/audiocassette, and software learning materials are briefly described. A summary of some experiences of…

Third in a series on teaching methods in higher education, this updated volume reviews and evaluates research on audiovisual aids and related instructional hardware. While the emphasis is on the effectiveness of technical aids in higher education as instructional tools, some information on technical and administrative problems is also provided.…

This discussion of the educational potential of audiotape and videotape cassettes in distance teaching considers each medium individually, with examples of how the Open University has tried to exploit them in its teaching, and comments on some major differences between the two media and their implication for education. Characteristics of…

Suggests a practical approach for coping with training students in laboratory skill through the use of videotaped (VTR) materials and discusses the technical advantages of using VTR as opposed to laboratory research. Six references are provided. (MER)

Reports on ways in which interactive video-based courseware is being used with students studying for vocational qualifications at Thames Valley University (United Kingdom). Two alternative models using interactive video are described, one using multiple workstations and one using a single workstation led by a tutor. (Contains six references.) (LRW)

This paper argues that recent developments in technology hold considerable promise for distance education. Audiocassettes, audiographics (the combining of natural sound, via the telephone or audiocassettes, with computer-generated graphics), videocassettes, and computer conferencing are used as examples to identify factors that should be…

Effectiveness of two versions of computer software used as an electronic blackboard to present geometric concepts to ninth grade students was compared. The experimental version incorporated color, animation, and nonverbal sounds as stimuli; the no-stimulus version was monochrome. Both immediate and delayed learning were significantly better for…

Since 1978, the University of Victoria has offered courses to students in British Columbia, using an interactive satellite delivery system. During that time both the system and the course design have become more sophisticated. Principles underlying program design include focusing on the learner and communication with learners, and basing televised…

Contrasts uses of electronic mail which are contrived by teachers versus uses that are based on real educational needs. Examples based on elementary school projects in Canada, the United States, and Australia are given; and uses in distance education, in school administration, with handicapped children, and to improve writing skills are described.…

This discussion of teaching methods in higher education in Great Britain focuses on lectures as the dominant method and explores ways to change to more student-centered methods of instruction. A study is described that used interviews and questionnaires to determine teacher and student views on lecture versus discussion formats. (LRW)

Describes a project that uses computer mediated communication in universities in the United States and Mexico to teach minority students effectively. BESTNET (Binational English and Spanish Telecommunications Network) is explained, use for distance education is discussed, computer conferencing and electronic mail are described, and problems of…

Describes the component parts of interactive video systems and suggests reasons for the increasing popularity of interactive video over other forms of instruction in education and training. A British project is described which is concerned with investigating the potential of interactive video for teaching foreign languages to secondary school…

Describes a study that examined the impact of computer-assisted instruction developed in the United States on the reading and math performance of students in Grenada. Results were compared with students receiving conventional instruction for high and low ability students and for gender differences. (Contains seven references.) (LRW)