A meta-analysis of findings from 24 controlled evaluations showed computer-assisted instruction (CAI) usually has positive effects on adult learners, i.e., it raised examination scores and reduced instruction time. Reliable conclusions could not be reached on CAI's long-term cognitive effects because of small number of studies investigating such…

A study extended studies on use of prior learning assessment and recognition (PLAR) by concentrating on learners/students outside of the college system and exploring student experience with all dimensions of the use of PLAR. Fourteen university students were interviewed. Findings indicated respondents had re-entered formal education by novel means…

The present study is a pilot investigation of six alternative urban middle schools for students of color that follow the Nativity model. This model emphasizes small class and school size, extended instruction, and strong relationships with family. The six schools included in the study are found in five different urban locations in the United…

This publication represents the first in a series of papers on alternative education for the U.S. Department of Labor. The main focus of this review is community- or district-based programs that have as their primary focus the re-engagement of out-of-school youth in learning in order to better prepare these youth to successfully enter high growth…

Educational technology has changed the definition of classroom in terms of location, size, composition, learning environment, and teacher role. Educational technology in developing nations helps accommodate people in poor and rural areas. Distance education through open universities has increased in several countries. It includes two-way…

This document discusses the benefits of distance education and the necessary steps for its implementation. It begins by describing the societal changes that are paving the way for distance learning, such as reduced access for expanding student populations and the dissolution of geographic boundaries. The next section explains the rationale behind…

This project evaluates the status of distance learning at 54 public, two-year community, and technical colleges in Texas. Data was collected from the Web sites of each of the institutions. The Web site data indicted that 44 of the colleges refer specifically to distance education courses offered. To assess what student support services are…

This paper describes the Open University's Postgraduate Certificate in Education, a postgraduate preservice teacher training program in the United Kingdom. The program provides access to the teaching profession for those who cannot train by conventional routes. It is characterized by: distance education; school-based partnerships; an explicit…

This paper summarizes a quantitative synthesis of studies of the effectiveness of interactive distance education using videoconferencing and telecommunications for K-12 academic achievement. Effect sizes for 19 experimental and quasi-experimental studies including 929 student participants were analyzed across sample characteristics, study methods,…

Describes the creation of the Colorado Electronic Community College, a virtual college started by the Colorado Community College and Occupational Education System (CCCOES) in which students enroll via distance learning. Technology such as videoconferencing, the Internet, and CD-ROMs allow for the development of this new educational model. (VWC)

Discusses a cultural environment education curriculum that helps children appreciate their city, its buildings, and its history. The curriculum includes walking field trips, service projects, and collaborative efforts with other schools. Includes a table with educational objectives for the curriculum and the corresponding evaluation. (MJP)

Maintains that working class elementary schools in England enjoyed popular support due to their subordination to the needs of wartime national efficiency. Argues that this led directly to a postwar increase in vocational education. Disputes the claim that the 1918 Educational Act produced no discernible results. (MJP)

Discussion of the emergence of nontraditional doctoral pharmacy programs looks at three areas of particular concern: (1) faculty time required; (2) availability of physical and financial resources; and (3) assurance of program quality. Challenges to creating quality programs, development of standards, documentation of quality, treatment of prior…

An experimental colloquium course at the University of Delaware focuses on ways students read and respond to texts. Using nontraditional activities including image making and symbolic expression, the course discourages passive learning as it explores literature and its effect on the reader's inner world. (JB)

Proposes ways to create a language curriculum based on children's "sensitive periods" as described by Montessori. Suggests that ages 6 through 12 are a sensitive period for using imagination. Creative expression should be an integral part of the entire curriculum, and creative expression can be stimulated through many sources of writing…