Research into tutoring at a distance has a fairly long history and the functions of tutors in distance education institutions are well understood. Over the past 20 years research into online tutoring has advanced significantly as such institutions have "gone electronic": in this paper we cite published research from the UK Open…

This paper reports on research to investigate design features of asynchronous discussion systems for higher education. The research aims to identify features that increase the benefits of discussion systems and reduce the problems. The paper focuses on a major theme that emerged from interviews with learners and teachers: information overload.…

Electronic mail-based tutoring of undergraduate writing students upsets the temporal basis of the face-to-face paradigm for writing tutorials. Taking place in real time in a specified place, the face-to-face tutorial session has a beginning, middle and end. Further, the session must have a tangible point. By contrast, in on-line tutoring, time is…

Explains how a teacher taught a composition course at a community college through electronic and networked computer systems. Describes how the course was organized on the computer; how he composed instructional materials; what some of the special instructional concerns were, such as plagiarism; and what some of the possibilities for developing the…

The Center for Distance Learning of Empire State College (New York) is piloting online study by offering a course in contemporary American diplomacy entirely through the use of computer conferencing and electronic mail. The computer is used to create a learning environment where course participants can interact with each other and with the…

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)

Examines activity cycles in long-distance educational electronic networks based on experiences on FrEdMail (a grass-roots microcomputer-based electronic network) to create effective network-based learning activities. Yearly, weekly, daily, and other cycles are described; and cyclical patterns for two types of instructional interactions are…

Reports the results of a survey of course Web sites and online syllabi used by students and faculty at higher education institutions across the country and offers suggestions for ways of incorporating relevant and often overlooked links to other sites. Discusses email, course topic links, administrative links, and disability support. (LRW)

Describes the design and development of training materials to encourage the use of telecommunications by Florida teachers that was funded by the Florida Department of Education. Topics addressed include the need for training materials; electronic mail; booklets; computer tutorials/simulation; the use of HyperCard; and results of an effectiveness…

Describes a project that linked students in a quantitative decision-making course at the University of Hawaii with students in the same course at Southern Methodist University (Texas) to participate in remote group collaboration via electronic mail and to observe and evaluate students' decision-making capabilities. Student comments are included.…

This study investigated factors that might be related to successful academic progress and students' satisfaction with a competency-based graduate program in an online environment. It offers an in-depth look into the structure and operations of a Master of Arts Program in Learning and Technology at Western Governor's University, Utah. At the time…

Examines the use of a local area network in an educational environment to maximize the use of academic computing resources. Topics discussed include information resources, including the Internet; interpersonal communication through electronic mail; group support systems; computer resource management, including software licensing; problems; and…

Reports on a study of 14 master's degree students' online communication patterns when their classroom environment had been expanded electronically through a public listserv for classroom interaction and private e-mail on the Internet. Student attitudes and reactions are described, based on results of questionnaires. (Author/LRW)

Discussion of computer-mediated communication (CMC) focuses on an international electronic Delphi study that was conducted to predict the prevalent instructional CMC applications that will be used in colleges and universities in the near future. Resources required for support and obstacles to be overcome are discussed. (Contains 81 references.)…

Discussion of the use of Internet technologies to support educational programs focuses on experiences at the University of Louisville in using bulletin boards, online multimedia lectures, and online chat and instant messaging for management education. Includes guidelines for others who are considering the use of these technologies. (Author/LRW)