A survey of all colleges and universities in 13 western states was conducted by the Northwest Task Force on Higher Educational Information Technologies in mid-1984 to obtain information that could be used to: (1) describe current instructional applications of video, audio, and computer technologies; (2) facilitate networking among educators who…

Technological delivery systems currently available or in use are examined for adaptability by rural schools, especially high schools faced with increasing demands to expand curriculum. This report focuses on the Mid-Continent Regional Educational Laboratory's (McREL's) service area of Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South…

This bibliography for trainers and teachers interested in open or distance learning lists 68 books and articles devoted to particular aspects of the "learning revolution," i.e., arrangements to enable people to learn at the time, place, and pace that satisfy their circumstances and requirements. Materials are listed under 12 headings:…

Minicourses in astronomy and advanced calculus were offered to students in small rural high schools in New York via IBM PC microcomputers using the graphics tablet and associated software. New York state and local educational agencies, federal agencies, school districts, and two private sector telecommunications companies cooperated to demonstrate…

Issues concerning telecommunications courses offered by California universities and colleges are reviewed with a focus on the progress made over the past 6 years regarding the lack of incentives for faculty to use instructional technology in their teaching, lack of coordination among interested institutions and agencies, and high initial costs for…

Many administrators are meeting specific instructional needs of their students without always or solely relying on classroom teachers by utilizing distance education, i.e., instruction that takes place while the learner is physically distant from the instructor and/or the materials. Distance education is particularly appropriate in rural and small…

An exploration of the potential of telecommunications to serve the needs of Arizona for place- and time-flexible learning is presented as one working paper in the final report of the Arizona Board of Regents' Task Force on Excellence, Efficiency and Competitiveness. The study looks at the capability of a statewide network to serve both…

A network to facilitate research on postsecondary education in Canada is advocated by the Canadian Society for the Study of Higher Education. The network will link centers of specialization and individual researchers, and will use information technology to produce and disseminate research findings and to enhance communications. The network will…

Describes study of two online graduate courses designed and delivered via a computer conferencing system at Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE). Advantages and disadvantages based on student responses are examined, new learning strategies for computer-mediated courses are discussed, and topics for future research are suggested.…

This description of computer conferencing in its educational context as a tool for encouraging greater autonomy in the learner highlights programs in Britain's Open University and at Bath University. Topics discussed include teaching and learning trends in higher education and the role of conferencing in education in the future. (Author/LRW)

This report on an application of the Delphi methodology to education and technology in the context of a Michigan project highlights findings related to: instructional material development; courseware; budgets and teachers; computer literacy; technology access and use; utilization barriers; impact; organizational adaptation; technology integration;…

The National Post-School Outcomes Center (NPSO), in conjunction the National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE) and the Regional Resource Centers (RRCs), held a series of conference calls with states to assess their needs for technical assistance on the new requirements for collecting and reporting post-school outcome…

A Web-based survey examined student rankings of teacher-student and student-technology interactions in distance education courses. Respondents were 61 students taking undergraduate or graduate distance education courses in special education at a Carnegie Research I university. Five instructors taught these courses. Three were full-time faculty…

Focusing on online learning opportunities in higher education, this paper reviews the various tools of virtual learning and electronic synchronous and asynchronous communication, discusses their strengths and weaknesses, presents strategies for their best use, and warns against potential pitfalls. Implementation issues, including cost and training…

The purpose of this study was to examine and describe the incidental learning activity of students in an asynchronous online course in a higher education setting. This research was conducted with data collected from interviews, journals, observations, email messages, and online conferencing software postings of 22 members of three sections of a…