The Asynchronous Learning Network, an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation program aimed at providing access to higher education through technology, has made grants for distance-education projects totaling nearly $27 million in the last five years. The program supports large and small projects around the country and sponsors an online scholarly journal and…

Suggests that in distance education, "anytime" learning is as important as "anyplace" learning, and that true "anytime" learning is directly related to how much technology is used to make admission and enrollment flexible, and to allow students to move forward at their own pace. Using computer technology to make time…

The Houston (Texas) Independent School District instructs 2,500 students annually that are homebound, hospitalized, or in agency settings through a separate campus called Community Services. Five administrators, 130 teachers, and 52 assistants operate the program. Teachers travel to the students and even though they are responsible for preparing…

The effectiveness of simulations for teaching statistical concepts was compared to the effectiveness of a textbook. Subjects were 115 college students. Subjects trained by simulation performed significantly better than those trained with a textbook. Results support the increasing use of simulation in education and training. (AEF)

Describes examples of videoconferencing usage in higher education: project management, dissemination, lecture courses, keynote lectures, small groups, orals and interviews. Gives an account of staff and student experiences in each example, in the context of a collaborative project. Presents evaluation results, leading to a generally favorable…

Describes efforts by a team of faculty, staff, students, and administrators at a small southwestern university to "Web-base" a graduate degree program. Identifies eight functional system components that must be addressed and aligned to promote distance learning. Discusses key issues and decisions made during development of the system in the…

In a graduate program operated by Antioch University (Ohio), students design their own courses of study and hire their own instructors, paying them out-of-pocket. The program is fully accredited. Scholars who provide education in the traditional way are questioning whether their disciplines are being enhanced or undermined by this and other…

Compares the effectiveness of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) and conventional instruction (CI) for teaching a developmental education mathematics course to African-American college students. Results revealed statistically significant difference on the algebra posttest. Students in the CAI section had significantly higher attitudes toward…

An English instructor notes that educators must re-examine their methodology and allow for students to be engaged as full partners in the learning process. She provides examples of activities and projects from a course about the intersection of language and culture and suggests that self-directed learning will equip students for college level…

Finn (1953) implied research and practice could not be conducted effectively without clear terminology. Keegan's (1986) work became the foundation for more modern definitions, including one espoused by this journal, "institutionally-based, formal education, where the learning group is separated and where interactive technologies are used to…

Examined the impact of a school-based substance abuse prevention program on alternative high school students' risk for violence. Analysis of students followed over 12 months indicated that there was a higher risk for victimization among male control students. No intervention effect was observed for female students or for perpetration among males.…

Evaluates the effectiveness of a family-school-community intervention model in an off-campus disciplinary alternative school. Finds positive changes in students' self-esteem and life skills and significant improvement in their attendance and grades while in the program. All except two students were still in school 1 year after leaving the program.…

Examines factors that motivate community college and virtual high school students to choose online or traditional course formats. Findings indicate that, for students who chose distance learning, control over pace and timing of learning was more important; for students who chose face-to-face courses, interaction with instructor and students was…

Investigates differences in student perceptions and performance among three distance learning sites taking the same off-campus M.B.A. course with the same instructor. Performance in the two smaller classes was better than performance in the large class. Student characteristics and site variables accounted for more than 50% of variance in…

Summerhill School has recently come under fire from England's educational bureaucracy, who are calling for its closure for noncompliance with the British national curriculum. The school has responded that it will not change its noncompulsory status nor any aspect of its educational philosophy that distinguishes it as a democratic, free school. (LP)