This book describes the history, structure and institutions of open and distance education in six countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, the UK and the US. It discusses how open and distance education is evolving in a digital age to reflect the needs and circumstances of national higher education systems in these countries, and explores…

This book describes the history, structure and institutions of open and distance education in six countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, the UK and the US. It discusses how open and distance education is evolving in a digital age to reflect the needs and circumstances of national higher education systems in these countries, and explores…

The quality of leadership and the effectiveness of schools to deliver an appropriate education through quality teaching have been "hot" topics within education and more widely for several decades. This article provides a brief historical overview of developments in research and changing paradigms of Australian school leadership, followed…

In a global society and economy, education and training is essential to a nation's competitiveness and to the standard of living of its people. The need to open the doors of higher or further education beyond the relatively limited enrollments in elite and selective universities has spawned a movement to develop or expand institutions that are…

The role of the University Visitor, whose traditional function is to mediate conflict within a university and contribute to its governance, is examined in the context of Australian higher education. Medieval English ecclesiastical origins of the office are described, and calls for abolition are examined. It is argued that the office should be…

Some ways of classifying multicampus universities in terms of administrative structure are examined and applied to Australian universities. Advantages and disadvantages of multicampus colleges are analyzed, and issues of management, governance, and authority are discussed. It is suggested that classification offers a point of departure for…

Examines the preeminence of research in higher education. Reviews the modern university's history. Suggests that as most academics desire recognition, funding bodies are besieged by people seeking money for research. Argues that university staff members should be expected to contribute to, and should be evaluated for, teaching, research,…

In Australia, teachers' accountability has grown less centralized and less bureaucratized as teachers have become more knowledgeable and better trained. Opposing forces are currently battling over whether to increase monitoring. In as multidimensional an administrative field as Australian schooling, a complex, changing monitoring system must…

This discussion of higher education policy formation in Australia focuses on the changing role of the state governments. The nature of state involvement in policymaking in 1959-87 is chronicled, and the diminished role of the states in very recent years is examined. The need for state participation is supported. (MSE)

Changes in women's participation in Australian higher education since the 1950s, primarily as employees, are examined in the context of policies and structures in place during that period. Factors influencing employment and promotion of women university employees are discussed, and action that could be taken at personal and system levels to…

Recent literature has made little attempt to apply historical studies to the problems of contemporary educational administration or to use historical studies as the basis for analysis or prediction. This article examines the role of historical insights in relation to educational administration and proposes approaches that might enhance their…

It is argued that Australian elementary mathematics curricula have been influenced by earlier British and United States educational movements and theories and are out of touch with current research emphasizing a constructivist approach. A new model of young children's numerical development is offered, and recommendations for improving mathematical…

Key characteristics of the administration of Australia's higher education system are outlined, and the current debate over quality assurance in higher education is discussed. Historical treatment of higher education quality in Australia, government initiatives since the mid-1980s, and reasons for the current emphasis on quality are outlined. (MSE)

The relationship between the Australian province of Victoria's nonacademic college staff union and the more specialized postsecondary education remuneration committee is examined and the history of both organizations reviewed. The current and potential influences of the two groups in Victorian higher education are discussed. (MSE)

A proposed charter of academic freedom and institutional autonomy in Australian higher education is examined, including the origins of the proposal, interests of staff and management, international political context of the proposal, history and values of the academic freedom concept, role of Australian universities, and faculty association role.…