This paper describes the faculty training model utilized in the development and/or conversion of course materials to be delivered on the World Wide Web. A description of the online learning environment (WTOnline) is provided, as well as the process by which faculty members in the West Texas A&M University College of Education interact with…

In this article, the author cites the many questions familiar to all who ponder the role of the university in the modern world. Among them are the following: (1) What is the appropriate use of "educational technology" in teaching, learning, and scholarship?; (2) What will be the nature of globalization of higher education?; (3) Will the Internet…

There is a need for research into understanding students' learning barriers and cognitive style of learning before they embark on an online PhD program. Online university students in the School of Education express success and difficulties electronically as they navigate through a spectrum of courses, Learning Agreements, Knowledge Area Modules…

This report discusses issues related to distance learning in higher education. Section 1, "The Expanding Universe of Distance Learning," examines: data from a new national survey on higher education distance learning; Internet access in elementary and secondary schools; the 1999 national survey of information technology in higher…

This document contains 11 papers examining the methodology and findings of a study of the virtual delivery of education throughout the world. "Introduction" (Glen M. Farrell) explains the study methodology, which entailed the identification of 10 global regions and commissioning of an individual in each region to write a paper describing the state…

This document reports on a telephone survey of higher education planning activities in the western United States that sought information on the development of intrastate electronic consortia for higher education services. A taxonomy of "virtual universities" was developed to make it possible to compare differences and similarities…

Most campuses, recognizing the important role that student services play in learner success and retention, have a full range of student services in place to support their on-campus learners. Yet, many have failed to provide the same level of service to their off-campus learners who cannot come to campus. All students deserve access to a full array…

Purpose: This report seeks to address the preliminary findings from a large-scale study of the different ways in which the asynchronous discussion forum (ADF) is being used in the online learning environment. Design/methodology/approach: A conceptual approach is taken. Findings: The structural and functional variation of the ADF is depicted within…

The prevalence of the Internet and the World Wide Web in higher education has been transforming higher educational institutions in various degrees. There are a wide variety of terms indicating such phenomenon, ranging from "web-based instruction" and "online courses" to "cyber degrees" and "virtual…

Discusses how the Internet is altering the intermediary roles of teachers, librarians, and media specialists. Highlights include the role of the middleman, research the way it used to be, research and learning now, online classrooms and distance learning, visions of the future, a timeline of the Internet and schools, educational research Web…

An unprecedented number of young children in Sub-Saharan Africa are being adversely affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic, yet programs specifically designed to meet the developmental needs of orphaned and vulnerable children (OVC) from birth to age 8 are rare. This article summarizes the daunting array of challenges facing young OVC in Sub-Saharan…

Researchers predict the number of people in the United States workforce could exceed 180 million by 2028, but, if employment demands continue to expand at current levels, the number of jobs could approach 200 million. Skills needed to perform those jobs will continue to grow, requiring higher levels of training to perform all jobs, including those…

The goals of this study at Charles Sturt University (Australia) were to collect and interpret data about the way that students used various features of an electronic study guide in the context of a distance education setting and to uncover any relationship that affected the desirability of this medium of delivering educational materials. The study…

A new breed of nontraditional institution has arisen to meet the demands of working adults who want to participate in lifelong learning but lack the time for full- or part-time study at a traditional institution. These new institutions range from completely virtual universities, online arms of existing institutions, learning marketplaces, or…

This three-part book contains 17 chapters that seek to explore and establish the framework around which global organizations might embed their own corporate virtual university. Part 1: Design Issues, contains the following chapters: "Customer Orientation and Motivation: The Key to Effective Learning Organizations" (Gordon…