One of Canada's greatest public intellectuals, George Grant (1918-1988) studied history as an undergraduate, focusing on concepts and themes rather than minutiae. That same intellectual disposition surfaced later at Oxford, where he had gone on a Rhodes scholarship to study law. Returning to Oxford after the war, he left law to study theology,…

This article describes one of the first developments and deployment of radio for distance learning and education in Canada, beginning in the early 1920s. Anticipating a recent initiative of public-private partnerships, the impetus, infrastructure, and initial programs were provided by a large corporation. Description of the system, its purpose,…

While studying Gender Issues in Distance Education at Athabasca University, the author has read about nomadic Fulbe women in Nigeria who learned by radio. She became inspired to explore the idea of serial drama as education. She began searching the Internet for ideas. She discovered a striking example of entertainment-education--an educational…

This paper examines how educational radio has been used to disseminate agricultural information to farmers in rural communities of Manitoba (Canada), and discusses implications for educational uses of radio in developing countries. In-depth interviews were conducted with 15 communication experts involved in rural extension services in Manitoba.…

This paper examines the history, functions, and impact of the four existing educational communications organizations in Canada: (1) TVOntario; (2) Radio Quebec; (3) ACCESS Alberta; and (4) the Knowledge Network of the West in British Columbia. It is noted that, while broadcasting and communications have always fallen under federal jurisdiction,…

Describes the use of communications technologies for distance education projects in universities and secondary schools in Manitoba. Topics discussed include educational radio; educational television; teleconferencing; computer conferencing; computer-assisted personalized system of instruction (CAPSI); and cooperation between industry and…

The programs described in this sourcebook of instructional and learning support activities in Canada that use communications technology in distance learning is based on the findings of a survey of Canadian universities and colleges, provincial departments of education, the telecommunications industry and organizations, professional associations,…

This paper presents a collection of experiences from the Canadian educational institutions that offer distance education. The first of four major sections defines the need for an alternative to traditional, classroom-based education, and describes the characteristics of distance education. The second section discusses the three institutions in…

The realization that a substantial segment of Canadian society could participate in a college education only if barriers of time and distance were removed led to an emphasis upon the concept of distance education as a necessary and desirable component of the programming of a community college. Recently, however, critics have argued that the…

This document, which examines the use of educational technologies for distance education for adults in Canada, consists of five narrative sections and a bibliography. The first section introduces the topic and the document's objectives (to describe those technologies used in Canadian adult distance education, paying particular attention to those…

An annotated bibliography on distance education in the Canadian North is presented, covering approximately 120 publications from 1973-1983. Distance education is defined as involving: separation of teacher and learner; influence of an educational organization, which distinguishes it from private study; use of technical media; provision of two-way…

Arguing that the acceptance of educational technology in Quebec is influenced by issues of economic survival and cultural identity, this paper discusses educational technology in terms of three types of media--computers, broadcast media (radio and television), and print media. Selected educational operating systems are also discussed. A search of…

The Wahsa Distance Education Centre is operated by the Northern Nishnawbe Education Council (NNEC) for Cree and Oji-Cree secondary students living in the 23 remote communities of Sioux Lookout District in northwestern Ontario. Although most communities have locally controlled K-8 schools, very few communities offer secondary education. The NNEC, a…

This paper reports information received from responses to a survey questionnaire from the presidents of 46 universities and their affiliated colleges across Canada. The questionnaire (circulated to all member institutions of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada) included queries about the experiences of the universities with…

Television has been seen by some as an enemy of literacy and by others as a tool for enhancing literacy. It has been used to arouse public awareness through national campaigns, to instruct in basic skills, and to motivate potential learners to seek education. According to the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS), adults with limited literacy…