Introduces other articles in this issue devoted to distributed learning at metropolitan universities. Discusses issues that institutions should address if considering distributed learning: institutional goals and strategic plans, faculty development needs and capabilities, student support services, technical and personnel infrastructure, policies,…

Asserting that providing infrastructure to support online classes is analogous to building a new physical campus adjacent to the pre-existing one, describes the support requirements of online faculty, information technology networks, students, and administrators. Says that if these infrastructure considerations are not addressed near the beginning…

Describes the use of technology at the Minnesota New Country School, a project-based, non-profit public charter secondary school. Discusses the project-based curriculum, including student self-paced projects that must relate to Minnesota's performance standards; the cooperative of teachers who provide services to the school; and personalized…

Focuses on open learning for higher education. Discusses the legacy of the 20th century; ways higher education is changing; why open universities are important in the 21st century; whom open universities should serve; and what, how, and where open universities should teach. Concludes that open universities and open learning will have a central…

Suggests that asynchronous distance learning environments are best accomplished by establishing virtual learning communities, which break down traditional instructor-as-transmitter, learner-as-receiver roles and instead promote a more learner-driven environment. Instructional strategies for facilitating online distance learning are identified, and…

A change in approaches to teaching is needed, so that academics' time can be targeted to maximize learning effect. Less time needs to be devoted to the lecture, and more to learning encounters in which there is a higher formative potential. The requirement is for methods stressing active learning, in which staff and peers contribute formative and…

Reports results of a survey conducted to determine perceptions of the barriers to distance education. Sixty-four barriers were determined from a review of the literature and clustered into the following 10 factors, based on survey responses: administrative structure; organizational change; technical expertise; social interaction and quality;…

Vignettes from the Albany Free School demonstrate that successful learning does not depend solely on pedagogical principles. The key to education is learning how to learn; once kids know that, all learning becomes enjoyable. Because learning is a by-product of teaching, which is a function of relationship, cultivating good teacher-student…

Discusses four educational goals for short-term computer camps based on the experiences of a camp in which 37 African American middle and high school students used a university's computer lab for 1 week. Highlights include teaching specific content knowledge, developing student interests, instilling positive student attitudes, and exposing…

Describes four forms of expression that are reshaping traditional distance education into a new instructional model: (1) "knowledge webs," which enable distributed access to information; (2) virtual communities as a complement to face-to-face interactions; (3) synthetic environments, which focus on learning-by-doing; and (4) sensory…

A teacher at a nontraditional school describes how a 12-year-old boy with a background of personal loss and school failure was helped to find his way by an apprenticeship experience in which he reconstructed his school desk. The pivotal contribution came from the boy's mentor, while the school's contribution lay in what it didn't do. (SV)

Advantages of multiage classrooms include improvements in student self-concept, attitudes toward school, leadership, and social skills; reduced discipline problems; and individualized instruction. Implementation problems include entrenched teacher attitudes, including overdependence on textbooks, and the extra teacher training and planning time…

A commercial enterprise, the Teaching Company, is recruiting gifted college teachers to record courses on video and audio tape, to be marketed nationally in an adult education series. While some colleagues dismiss such ventures, participating faculty feel the company is helping their disciplines. Some of the company's competitors hire actors…

This article discusses home schooling gifted children, including reasons families choose to home school their children, laws regulating home schooling, the educational background of parents who home school, and curriculum options. Advantages and disadvantages of home schooling are explored, along with data indicating the higher achievement of home…

Focuses on the feasibility of using authentic problem-based collaboration at a distance. Compares a traditional introductory instructional design (ID) course with a modified distance education course. Results indicate it is possible to enact authentic learning and distance collaboration within modified distance education when learners are advanced…