Although the University of the future will insatiably chip away at some opportunities from the University of today, although the advent of the ever-innovating technology will make the former more viable and the later more vulnerable, although the inevitable wave of changes that have swept other older industries loom, although the MOOCs and online…

This study examined instructor and learner experiences in a Journalism for Social Change (JSC) Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) designed to introduce learners around the world to constructive, solutions-based journalism techniques, as well as engage learners in developing news stories promoting positive change about critical child welfare (CW)…

This article reviews key findings from six surveys of technology-enhanced learning (TEL) across the UK higher education (HE) sector, conducted by Universities and Colleges Information Systems Association in association with Jisc. Updating the findings presented by Jenkins, Browne, Walker, and Hewitt [2010. The development of technology enhanced…

The Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) movement is the latest "big thing" in Open and Distance Learning (ODL) which threatens to transform Higher Education. Both opportunities and threats are extensively discussed in literature, comprising issues on opening up education for the whole world, pedagogy and online versus campus education.…

Many reports on rural education give little attention to digital learning. At most, they tend to note either infrastructure needs or the potential of remote course access, with little focus on instruction, outcomes, or exemplars. This report intends to begin correcting that imbalance by connecting the dots between rural regions, rural education,…

Observations of artistic activities' transformative influence in social sphere by social scientists have played an essential role in the rise of "participative art" works worldwide. Within the scope of the public relations practices performed by municipal administrations particularly in order to promote the cultural development of…

Sebastian Thrun gave up tenure at Stanford University after 160,000 students signed up for his free online version of the course "Introduction to Artificial Intelligence." The experience completely changed his perspective on education, he said, so he ditched teaching at Stanford and launched the private Web site Udacity, which offers…

Surely "massive open online course" (MOOC) has one of the ugliest acronyms of recent years, lacking the deliberate playfulness of Yahoo (Yet Another Hierarchical Officious Oracle) or the droll shoulder shrug suggested by the word "snafu" (Situation Normal, All Fouled Up). The author is not a complete neophyte to online…

Self-directed learning on open online networks is now a possibility as communication and resources can be combined to create learning environments. But is it really? There are some challenges that might prevent learners from having a quality learning experience. This paper raises questions on levels of learner autonomy, presence, and critical…

One answer to the magnitude of the world education crisis is the provision of very large education systems, capable of enrolling 100,000 students or more. The largest distance system is the Dianda or Chinese Radio and Television University (CRTVU) system. Dianda is best described as a network of one central open university that does not enroll…

A study was undertaken to determine the effectiveness of using a satellite delivery system to provide market information to farmers. The program delivered by satellite was Crop Market Prospects, a one-day conference that presents the market outlook for both crops and inputs, investigates the world grain situation, and provides a long-term outlook.…

"Globalized E-Learning Cultural Challenges" explores the issues educators, administrators, and instructional designers face when transferring knowledge and skills to other cultures through e-learning. Most e-learning courses have been designed in Western cultures, but the largest and fastest-growing consumer groups live in Eastern…

One of a series offering practical advice and information on distance teaching, this broadsheet focuses on the ways in which distance teaching can support, expand, and change secondary education. Traditional criticisms of secondary schools are examined, including their irrelevancy, inefficiency, and inequity. Issues of distance education…

Economics and mass higher education have become firmly coupled not only in the minds of distance educators but also in those of policy makers, politicians, educational economists, and social scientists. These conference proceedings add to the knowledge and experience of colleagues from around the world who address the topics of cost effectiveness,…

Describes a study examining the effects of distance, motivation, satisfaction with course content, and satisfaction with an interactive television (ITV) system on student evaluation of community college courses. Indicates that satisfaction with the course and ITV system had the greatest effect on course evaluation, rather than distance or…