Telecourses can offer quality learning experiences and be effective means of serving nontraditional students. Most of the quality telecourses have been produced in the last five years, although some instructional areas are not well represented, and educational and commercial producers will be increasing the choices and control of offerings. (MSE)

This guidebook offers practical advice on planning, administering, and evaluating telecourses. An introductory section provides a definition and history of telecourses. The following section covers procedures such as planning for implementation of the telecourse, securing approval for the telecourse, deciding on the credit and grade options the…

A project was conducted to identify criteria and procedures for using a distance learning delivery system at the University of Texas TeleLearning Center to teach Health Occupations II to high school seniors. Another objective was expanding the current distance learning program for health occupations to include between 15 and 20 school districts.…

Reports on the design, implementation, and evaluation of a teleseminar on instructional design and computer-mediated communication (CMC) at the University of Southern Queensland (Toowoomba, Australia). Results show that CMC was a viable medium for professional development, that moderation of strategies influenced the nature of contributions, and…

In order to reach instate clientele more efficiently and effectively, agricultural education and home economics teacher educators in the state of Washington have used two-way microwave television technology. The Washington Higher Education Telecommunication System (WHETS) has allowed the Washington State University College of Agriculture and Home…

Designed to aid local educators as they formulate plans to use distance learning as a strategy for providing effective educational experiences, this resource guide provides an introduction to telecommunication-based distance education technologies and guidelines for their implementation. The first of six sections discusses the rationale for…

Surveys at Darton College (Albany, Georgia) revealed that faculty felt little personal connection to existing pre-produced telecourses and that students felt isolated from the on-campus community. Describes the implementation, success, and subsequent expansion of a system allowing the transmission of courses to home-based students as they are…

This paper provides an overview of distance learning activities in Connecticut and addresses the feasibility of such activities. Distance education programs have evolved from the one dimensional electronic mail systems to the use of sophisticated digital fiber networks. The Middlesex Distance Learning Consortium has developed a long-range plan to…

This statement summarizes the results of a 2-year study on assessing long distance learning by telecommunications. Supported by a grant from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education, the study focused on the rapid development and use of telecommunications to offer postsecondary education, and the need to ensure the quality and…

Based on a review of existing literature and interviews with more than 50 individuals at television stations and colleges, this report describes the state of the art of telecourses. Following an introductory chapter, 13 chapters discuss the following aspects of telecourses: (1) definition and scope; (2) the institutional environment; (3) the…

This book provides information supplemental to the accompanying videotape regarding the implementation and use of two-way, full-motion interactive television. Based on a study conducted by the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, "Local Heroes" describes in detail how citizens have implemented the technology in small rural…

Defining a telecourse as a series of lessons presented through the medium of television, this paper outlines four uses of telecourses and describes three different options for telecourse design: (1) use of commercially-available materials; (2) use of professor-developed materials; and (3) a combination of the two. Focusing on the…

This document responds to the Public Telecommunications Act of 1992 directing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to report on prospects for distance learning projects to assist rural schools. Based on a literature review, case studies, and two audio conferences with leading educators and distance learning providers, the report focuses…

This document is divided into: (1) a television curriculum guide and (2) a resource guide. The first describes a four-part television series designed to improve instruction. Section 1 acquaints the participant with some of the issues in distance education, including teacher roles, the impact of technology, parity between the traditional and…

The Office of Technology Assessment authorized a series of case studies in 1989 to investigate how technologies, services, and programs are implemented in distance education projects. The studies were also intended to look at the role of local, state, and federal agencies, and other public and private entities in providing educational services to…