The conditions for effective and efficient provision of distance education in the small-scale integrated mode normal in Australian higher education are outlined in this paper. Criteria for the evaluation of effective distance education are listed as follows: (1) student learning of information and understanding; (2) student satisfaction with the…

Special education services in Australia are provided by state departments of education as well as voluntary organizations. These services are provided in toy libraries and activity therapy centers as well as school settings. Thus, a variety of separate evaluations have been conducted. Further cooperative and systematic assessments are planned.…

The Work-Study Innovative Teaching Programme (WSITP) developed during 1975-1977 at Churchlands College in Western Australia proposes a developmental approach to continuous long-term practice teaching and concurrent related lecture experiences as a means of assisting student teachers in their search for personal meaning about teaching and about…

Considers important political and practical issues within the field of distance education raised by the decision for Australia to have its own communications satellite. The experiences of other countries are examined and the importance of communication policy and planning, educational needs-assessment, cost-effectiveness studies, resource…

Projects that aim at meeting the educational needs of a community and also at creating a framework within which the overall social needs of the community can be taken into account have been the subject of detailed case studies, each devoted to a given country. In addition, these individual studies have served as a basis for a further analysis…

A study investigated knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to operate in new working arrangements where people operate in alliance with others. Six strategic alliances were selected across three states and different industries. Participants in contractor alliances and stakeholders in the study were interviewed. Findings indicated that all…

Describes a collaborative project designed to better prepare Australian preservice teachers for teaching in remote schools through six-week rural mentorship programs and joint preservice and inservice professional development. Discusses how development of partnerships among cooperating institutions and between teachers, student teachers, and the…

This paper describes the Australian Open Learning Initiative (OLI), a program to facilitate access to postsecondary education. The program will provide off-campus or distance education courses for which there is evident high demand. Program features include an independent brokering agency, coordination by a university or group of universities,…

An empirical model for evaluating a school-TAFE (technical and further education) link program was derived from the results of an evaluation of a Queensland, Australia, program. The program established a TAFE center run by the county TAFE college on high school grounds, in which students could take 50% of their courses. The evaluation gathered…

This paper contrasts two planned online university ventures, the Virtual University of Finland and the University of Australia Online. The meaning and operations of these institutions are considered with respect to the virtual teaching and research nexus, cost issues, and their capability to respond to quick changes in knowledge. The issue of…

Influences on the development of international distance education are examined, focusing on the trend toward privatization of higher education and anticipated cooperation between media leaders and universities. Factors in the success of such efforts and the response of critics are considered, and the conclusions drawn by a major Australian report…

Describes a project undertaken by the Queensland University of Technology (Brisbane, Australia) to develop a booklet on the importance of reading to young children and distribute it to all mothers in maternity hospitals in Queensland. Discusses the conceptualization of the booklet, fund-raising tasks, and distribution. Reports on further…

The S-Star Trial Bioinformatics on-line course (www.s-star.org) is a global experiment in bioinformatics distance education. Six universities from five continents have participated in this project. One hundred and fifty students participated in the first trial course of which 96 followed through the entire course and 70 fulfilled the overall…

The Mekong e-Sim involved more than 140 students across Australia and overseas participating in an online roleplay-simulation over a four-week period. Set in the Mekong region of South East Asia, it allowed for debates over development issues arising from clear-cut differences and conflicts in values and interests. The geography and engineering…

The main objective of this research was to develop a suitable model for a Thai university library in information provision to tenant firms in the first Thai technology park. Such a model, which was based on Australian data, was fine-tuned to meet local Thai social and economic conditions. The research process investigated many issues with tenants…