A survey of older adult students at Britain's Open University to learn their characteristics, motivation, expectation, and attitudes about the institution is summarized. Results show that although most adapt well to distance education, certain factors such as cost and examinations are of concern to the students. (MSE)

Teacher training for Guyanese secondary science teachers in a school of education was compared with a distance-taught program by a variety of criteria: supervisor scoring using the Guyanese Ministry of Education's rating scale in classroom observation; self-ratings pupil ratings; and ratings by head teachers in schools having graduates of both…

Financial and other support services for undergraduate students in West Germany's Fernuniversitat are compared with those of Britain's Open University and the factors influencing the problems and successes of each are discussed. These factors include administrative problems, costs, regional cooperation, and admission criteria. (MSE)

A survey of South Carolina pharmacists investigated the desired entry level pharmacy degree, years of study required, perceived adequacy of the respondents' current education, current pursuit of credit courses and continuing education programs, and interest in obtaining advanced degrees. Results suggest an off-campus program would be…

Experience in Scotland shows that telephone tuition can be an effective means to bring remote students and tutors into direct contact. One-to-one tuition, conference call tuition, and loud-speaker tuition are discussed. Limitations and advantages of this medium are noted, and development across the United Kingdom is advocated. (AF)

A procedure for course evaluation at Britain's Open University is described. Justification for obtaining feedback from students, audiences for the data, and intended uses in the maintenance of courses are outlined. (JMF)

Teachers immigrating to Canada with credentials from non-Canadian jurisdictions are regarded as desirable immigrant professionals because of their high levels of education and yet, nevertheless, are required to redo some or all of their professional training. This research examines sociocultural notions of voice, agency, authorship and identity in…

A study was conducted to determine the motivation for nontraditional students' participation in the off-campus credit programs leading to a master's degree in vocational-technical education at Marshall University (West Virginia). The population for this study consisted of all 319 vocational-technical education (VTE) master's degree recipients for…

This book challenges the notion that the open university is a recent invention and argues that in Britain there is a long and varied tradition of similar developments, and that there has been a significant 20th century reduction in the openness of universities, particularly in the period from the 1950s to the 1970s. Selected examples of open…

This project was designed to increase student access by addressing Western states' regulations on higher education programs delivered electronically across state lines, and to develop and get region-wide agreement on basic quality standards for distance education programs. The project achieved agreement on a set of "Principles of Good…

This report responds to a legislative mandate to examine the funding of the Statewide Nursing Program at the California State University, an external degree program of advanced training for practicing nurses. Included in the report are: (1) a brief history of the program; (2) the State University's rationale for offering it; (3) a description of…

Seeking to further understand the potential donor pool represented by alumnae who were mature students graduating from the external degree program at a women's college, this study used a questionnaire survey to identify background and characteristics and collegiate and alumnae experiences of the external degree alumnae, and to identify differences…

Vermont has an unusual two-year college system. There is no campus, no full-time faculty, no grades or credits are given, students develop their own performance contracts, non-traditional courses are offered, and life experiences are counted toward a degree. Methods of finance and the lack of a model on which to evaluate success are the major…

The Programs for Higher Education (PHE) at Nova University (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) developed field-based doctoral programs in higher education, leadership in adult education, and vocational, technical, and occupational education. During the 1980s, PHE critically analyzed the format for the delivery of the specialization seminars for the three…

This paper describes the development of a library support system at California State University (CSU), Chico, which enables off-campus students who attend live television lectures transmitted from campus to have the same, or better, access to learning resources as on-campus students. Background information provided includes a description of the…