In this article, the author discusses three distinct challenges that demand solutions if traditional universities are to successfully confront the economic realities of distance learning: (1) Many traditional universities are not willing to draw useful lessons from the more advantageous financial and IT models of for-profit or other nontraditional…

Both the National Council for Vocational Qualifications (NCVQ) and Open College Networks or Federations (OCNs) have the objective of creating nationally coherent frameworks of qualification and training in Britain. However, they are very different organizations and have distinct, though potentially complementary, roles. Issues where the two…

This study provides an extensive review of the literature on distance education and of representative distance education projects and institutions in the United States and abroad, emphasizing those using telecommunications technologies. The introductory section includes a sketch of the information age and its implications for adult education and…

A multivariate model to explain student success and failure at the Open University of the United Kingdom is outlined. The model is based on the results of an evaluation study that explored the suitability of this teaching system for young people under 21 years old. Twenty-three characteristics were designated as social and psychological problems,…

A case study of the Directorate of Correspondence Courses at Panjab University, an Open University school in India, is presented. Areas of discussion include characteristics of the country, the educational system in India, and the Directorate of Correspondence Courses. Specific topics include: the physical setting; the population; the economy; the…

This collection of six essays and six case studies analyzes efforts at reform and the changes that have taken place in Indian higher education over the past four decades. The six essays describe several innovative and interesting programs and analyze key policy areas. After an introduction by Philip G. Altbach and Suma Chitnis, titles include: (1)…

Following a foreword (Ross Paul) and an introduction (Robert Sweet), three sections on instituting postsecondary distance learning systems across Canada are presented: access and student support, educational technology, and institutional response. The first section contains the following: "Women in Distance Education: Towards a Feminist…

The Student Opinion Survey was sent to a random sample of 2,600 Open University (OU) students who had gained at least two credits and were studying during 1984. The response rate was 84 percent. Responses to open-ended questions on about one-third of those questionnaires were analyzed to determine the significant phenomena in students' experiences…

Two major areas of focus emerge from this synthesis of national reports: the question of how to teach students critical and autonomous judgement with regard to the mass media, and how best to use new information and communication technology (NICT) and the media for educational purposes. It is noted that, although there are differences of approach…

An attempt is made to explain the intricacies of British higher education finance in language that is meaningful to an American audience. After a brief description of the bases of the British system, the following issues that have been subject to recent public debates in Britain are considered: (1) the finance of Oxford and Cambridge; (2) the…

On April 14, 2004, a management letter was forwarded setting out the expectations of the Ministry of Advanced Education for the British Columbia Council on Admissions and Transfer (BCCAT) in 2004-2005. This Annual Report was presented to specify how BCCAT has addressed those expectations and to provide information regarding other projects and…

This book explores the expansion of higher education in the United Kingdom during the past 50 years and the coordination of university and further and distance education. The following 12 chapters are included: "Patterns of HE/FE [Higher Education/Further Education] Collaboration" (Tony Lewis, Rob Allen); "Student and Staff…

Theoretical foundation of Response mechanisms in networks of online learners are revealed by Statistical Analysis of p* Markov Models for the Networks. Our comparative analysis of two networks shows that the minimal-effort hunt-for-social-capital mechanism controls a major behavior of both networks: negative tendency to respond. Differences in…

As a Transversal Action under the European eLearning Programme, the Open e-Learning Content Observatory Services (OLCOS) project carries out a set of activities that aim at fostering the creation, sharing and re-use of Open Educational Resources (OER) in Europe and beyond. OER are understood to comprise content for teaching and learning,…

This book explores the essentials of distance education and reviews issues facing large open universities (mega-universities) worldwide. It uses examples from industry and the knowledge media, to show how technology-based learning can be made attractive both to students and to institutions. The book's eight chapters, including 10 figures and 5…