In this article we review research on English as a foreign language (EFL) teaching and learning published in Argentina between 2007 and 2013. This is the first review of a Latin American country in this series. Argentina has a century-long tradition of training EFL teachers but a comparatively shorter though fruitful history of foreign language…

Most universities in Australia have established at least one organizational unit with a responsibility for academic development. While "academic" could embrace all aspects of the role of academics, including research, innovation, and contributions to community and professional bodies, the expectation is that the focus will be on learning…

The author of this article thinks that the basic difficulties of wider introduction of media education in the Russian and French universities & schools first of all are connected with patent defect purposefully prepared of media educators; with the certain inertness of many educational establishments; with traditional approaches of the…

This report presents conclusions of a study of the feasibility of adapting Open University materials for use in student-centered learning in other institutions, especially polytechnics. It discusses the development of open learning in the polytechnics, drawing attention to the need for collaborative production of materials. Chapter 1 is an…

The approach of Center for Research into Higher Education study skill group sees study skills as answers to characteristic demands of study tasks and study skills training as helping students provide more adequate answers. Directions for both research and practical activities of the group are discussed. (MSE)

The first two articles describe the processes employed by Open University faculty members in preparing distance education courses and in commenting on and redrafting materials. The third looks at factors that influence the decisions of faculty members to determine why they prepare their teaching materials in the ways described. (MBR)

A group of academic staff at the Open University with little computer experience developed a computer program for instruction. Reasons for its inclusion in the course, procedures for its adoption, and initial evaluation are described. The course was one in research methods in education and the social sciences. (MSE)

Describes a set of units to help teachers guide secondary students in an exploration and mastery of aspects of argument. Looks at the design of these teaching/learning materials. Notes evaluations from teachers in six secondary schools who tried the units over two years. Describes one teacher's experiment with the revised material. Reflects on why…

Government commitment to the care and education of children from birth to three years in England led to the commissioning in 2001 of "a framework of best practice" (DfEE, 2001:24) to support children in their earliest years. The resulting framework of "effective" practice, together with supporting materials, was developed by a…

Describes a process-tracing study which investigated study approaches adopted by four distance learners enrolled in the Bachelor of Education Program at James Cook University and their mental processes when learning from distance-teaching materials in order to identify textual features which activated mental processes for use in textual design.…

To address specific workplace literacy needs within the steel fabrication sector in Manitoba, an organizational needs assessment was conducted training manuals were developed using literacy task analysis techniques. The organizational needs assessment assessed the general and workplace literacy tasks and demands of hourly workers at Dominion…

Reports on a study that required student teachers training in business education to produce open learning materials on intercultural communication. Analysis of stages and responses to this assignment revealed a distinction between "deep" and "surface" learning. Includes charts delineating the characteristics of these two types…

Open University course production involves a course team that is responsible for the initial planning, production, and presentation of the teaching material. Informal work sessions with other authors create an environment critical for authors' socialization into course production and the perpetuation of course team practice. This environment…

This paper focuses on a British Council funded Higher Education Link project involving three institutions--Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) in the UK and two South African institutions, the University of South Africa (UNISA) and Rhodes University. The link is a research and development project that has three main research strands:…

This publication presents a report on the first Pan-African meeting on distance education. The materials reveal that development of distance education in Africa depends on three factors: information and research, the training of specialists, and the production or acquisition of materials. A report of the plenary session summarizes presentations by…