The Institute of Educational Technology of the British Open University evaluated an Open University broadcast course in the chemistry of carbon compounds. Industrial chemistry was a separate but parallel component of the course which was presented by television and radio broadcast. Questionnaires, telephone interviews, and group discussions were…

This annotated selected bibliography is confined to continuing education sponsored by colleges and universities, professional associations, and business and industry. Items were selected for inclusion on the basis of subjective assessment of quality, interest, relevance, contemporaneity, and availability. The bibliography is organized into 10…

The consequences of planned and unplanned developments in higher education since 1968, such as the Open University, the Independent University, stagnation in student demand, and especially, the disintegration of the University Grants Committee system of financing in universities, are considered. (Author/JMD)

Sequential programs, evening classes, and accessible classrooms are needed to enable working adult students to continue their occupational training, according to a survey of employees of the ten largest industries in Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska. From the survey data, necessary program changes are being made at Nebraska Western College. (MF)

The author calls for the implementation of a formal structure of staff involvement of Open University (United Kingdom) part-time staff in the planning and implementation of staff development programs. Such a plan would help improve relations between the University and its part-time instructional staff. (JMD)

The Open University is playing a significant part in "compensatory" education by providing degree-level courses for large numbers of adults who for one reason or another did not go on to degree-level education after leaving school. It has attracted a large number of students from working-class backgrounds. (Author/LBH)

The Regents External Degree Program of the University of the State of New York, Thomas A. Edison College, and the Board for State Academic Awards of Connecticut are external degree institutions serving new functions in American higher education. Without admissions requirements, they are making higher education available to many who could not…

Discussion of variables that affect successful completion of external degree programs focuses on a study that investigated the association between learning style and persistence among students from the University of Wisconsin System Extended Degree Programs. Literature on distance education is reviewed, and results of the study are analyzed. (35…

An examination of the need for academic advising and tutoring for upper division students of the Open University in Scotland reveals a gap between institutional recommendations and the actual use and perception of the services. Clearer guidance is recommended for tutor-counselors, and questions are posed about service needs for further…

Microcomputers are advocated as a primary teaching tool for independent and correspondence study, provided suitable software is available and consideration is given to initial student attitudes, peculiarities in computer communication, and the low predictive power of psychological tests in computer-based learning. (Author/MSE)

The situation of the part-time tutor at the Open University is examined by a staff member. Consideration is given to the sense of isolation, the part-timer's general role in the university and limitations enforced by that role, and the contribution part-timers could make to course maintenance and planning. (LBH)

The new roles and functions of university language departments are discussed. A decline in younger language students is countered by growing adult demand for language training. New institutions or sections cater to new learning groups; extramural, decentralized and distance courses have developed. Advantages for student and university are…

In the last decade, the questioning of traditional teaching and learning methods and instructional systems and the search for more effective alternatives have gained momentum. Recent trends are grouped and discussed, including individualized instruction, multimedia instruction, peer teaching, student evaluations of teachers, teacher training…

This book, intended for students planning, exploring, or currently completing graduate school via long distance, is written by two people who themselves completed a doctoral program via long distance. The book is based on personal experiences, an informal survey of people in this country and abroad, and responses from a listserv concerning…

A three-year project to adapt existing Open University parenting course materials for a wider range of family and community settings is described. Experience using the materials with informal groups of mothers, and with individuals within the groups, are discussed. (MSE)