This discussion of social and political aspects, advantages and disadvantages of distance education programs includes descriptions and examples of delivery technologies and programs in developing and developed countries. Among the social aspects considered are distance education's potential to provide a second chance to people who are trapped by…

The final report summarizes activities of a 3-year project which accomplished the following goals: (1) identification of the most pressing concerns in special education currently facing state and local education policymakers; (2) location of research information through the U.S. Department of Education and other sources which address these issues;…

Formal educational environments often provide less support for learning than do the everyday environments available to young children. This paper considers the concept of idealized learning environments, defined as "Havens." Various components of Havens are discussed that may facilitate comprehension, especially in science instruction.…

The needs of off-campus black and female students at McNeese State University, Louisiana, were surveyed. The sample of 25 students was randomly selected from more than 200 off-campus black students. Seventy percent of the sample wanted to live on campus but had limited funds. Only 5 percent felt that they had a full part in college activities, and…

Perspectives about evaluating instruction by telecommunications are offered in two related conference presentations, based on the experience of the Annenberg/Corporation for Public Broadcasting Project. The project has two goals: to create high-quality college-level materials using telecommunications, and to demonstrate the application of…

Fifteen papers from the University of South Africa's Conference on Distance Education are presented on media and technology. They include: "Video Education: What Went Wrong and Why It Is Tomorrow's Teacher If Used Correctly" (William M. Smith); "Formative Evaluation of ETV Programmes" (Aliza Duby); "Distance Education for…

This paper focuses on issues in the development of a technology support program for special education, particularly directed toward states with small, wide-spread populations. A three-level approach is suggested, with concentrated central expertise, regional resource points, and a network of individuals at the local level. The technology involved…

This study examined whether analogy or means-ends strategies (heuristics) would be used to solve geometric puzzle-like problems, which were generated by a microcomputer. The subjects in the two-group experiment were undergraduate students enrolled in an introductory psychology course at Potsdam College (New York). One group of subjects learned…

There are many problems involved in upgrading scientific literacy in high schools: poorly qualified teachers, the lack of good instructional materials, and economic and academic disadvantages all contribute to the problem. This document describes a project designed to increase the opportunities available to the high school science student to…

The Air Force conducted this study for two purposes: (1) to define the system of Air Force On-the-Job Training (OJT); and (2) to prepare a set of functional specifications for an integrated, base-level OJT evaluation and management system with linkages to the Major Commands and Air Staff. The study was conducted in four phases. During the first…

A research project concerned with the development of English as a school subject in the Norwegian elementary and junior high school identifies and describes British and American influences on the theoretical climate of foreign language teaching in Western Europe from the 1950's to the 1970's. A distinct British influence, the so-called Palmer,…

This paper offers an action plan that facilitates the implementation of educational reform in New York State by taking into consideration the major recommendations of four recognized publications: "A Nation Prepared: Teachers for the 21st Century,""The Revolution That Is Overdue: Looking Toward the Future of Teaching and…

This paper describes Contact North/Contact Nord, a pilot project that attempts to improve strategies for distance education in Northern Ontario, Canada. The goals of the program include meeting ongoing and future educational needs of rural Canadians by improving the design and operation of technologically enhanced distance education programs. The…

This volume is the first of three reporting research that is intended to help postsecondary occupational education deans and directors become able to plan more strategically for using new instructional technologies to meet emerging needs. This document begins with a packet of guidesheets made up of materials from all three volumes. Relevant…

Designed as a guide for policy formation, program development, and resource allocation, this report identifies and evaluates future trends and their implications for California's De Anza College (DAC). Section 1 contains introductory information on the purposes, processes, and components of institutional planning at DAC. Section 2 assesses the…