Analyzes the planning and impact of distance education programs. Discusses the use of systems analysis as a basic planning instrument and examines two subsystems illustrating its use. Concludes that distance education is an economical alternative to traditional classes in both developed and developing countries. (GEA)

Describes the experiences of a mentor with a retired nursing home proprietor who entered an off-campus degree program. (JOW)

Provides an imaginary tour of a typical high school of the 1990's, where we find libraries without books, halls without lockers, stadiums without bleachers, teachers without unions, and an almost nonexistent dropout problem. Most of these "advances" are attributed to high costs and computerization progress. (MLH)

Comparison of persisters and nonpersisters in the Master of Liberal Studies program at the University of Oklahoma found five significant demographic variables: age, type of bachelor's degree, years between bachelor's and master's programs, distance from master's program site, and social science score on the Undergraduate Assessment Program Test.…

Some observations on nontraditional education include programs that can trace their lineage back to the origins of Western universities; they serve adult needs more than adolescent/young adult needs; and learning occurs outside boundaries of grades, semester hours, etc. (Author/MLW)

Discusses the need for a computer literacy course, one university's nontraditional approach to teaching computer literacy, telecourse components (television programs, telecourse textbook and guide, software application projects), and conclusions regarding computer literacy. (CT)

This article addresses the less utilized, nontraditional techniques of experiential and exploratory theater as vehicles for promoting both cognitive and affective learning. It discusses puppets as provocateurs, evoking response through mime, improvisation, and exploratory theater and problem solving. (CT)

Describes a study conducted to determine if extension agents could expand their audience through a series of statewide on-farm meetings. The study also sought to determine if the on-farm approach would result in adoption of recommended mastitis control practices. Results are presented and discussed. (CT)

Describes a program in Fairfax County, Virginia, in which marketing and distributive education classes are taught at two shopping malls. The merchants provide students with realistic, hands-on experiences during class time that provide the basis for instruction in many marketing skills and techniques. (JOW)

Discusses the problem of designing educational systems for the aged to maximize their potential for success. Suggests that complex changes in working memory occur with advanced age; by understanding the nature of these changes, educational materials can be designed which properly refresh memory and guide comprehension. (JAC)

Five models for the training of leaders or administrators of alternative schools are outlined in this article. (JD)

Description of conducting school with an open-door policy during the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and the Campaign to Criticize Lin Piao and Confucius. (Author/ND)

This report contains the typology of charter schools that were sought, based on Carpenter's careful sorting of 1,182 charter schools, representing 87 percent of all those operating in 2001-2002 in the five states (Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan, and Texas) that then accounted for the lion's share of U.S. charter schools. Carpenter sorted…

Florida's 113 charter schools serve 18,255 students and provide opportunities for education innovation and school choice. Many serve at-risk and low-income students. Schools report positive student progress but need stronger accountability. Two-thirds of charter schools are not subject to Florida's A+ school accountability system because they…

This newsletter focuses on matters related to the privatization of education in different contexts around the world. Over the past few years, the International Institute for Educational Planning has carried out a number of studies in a wide range of contexts to identify what the real-life experiments in school organization are, why they have…