The steps which led to the establishment of the Open University in Great Britain and the intentions of its founders are first described, with particular attention paid to the needs it was intended and not intended to meet. Following this is an examination of the evidence to date of the University's success in reaching its target student…

The changing educational needs of midwives in England were assessed, and an open learning package for midwives was developed based on the findings. Data were collected from the following: questionnaires mailed to 1,100 registered midwives (70% response rate), all 205 coordinating supervisors of midwives in England (83% response rate); 1 randomly…

Part 1 extends a previous study of "fresh start" courses in adult education in England. It focuses on the particular needs of women for renewed educational opportunities in mature life. This part describes and analyzes the provision to meet those needs represented by seven years' further work in Fresh Horizons at London's City Literary…

This document describes the development and implementation of an open learning course for shift operators who work in British process industries. The course was developed collaboratively during 1979-82 by B.P. Chemicals Ltd. and Grimsby College of Technology and Arts, using the Business and Technician Education Council certification program.…

A study evaluated the 83 basic skills open learning centers established in England and Wales to improve opportunities for adults and young people to improve essential basic skills. They were established in a variety of locations, ranging from further education colleges or adult education centers to libraries and shops. The most successful centers…

The document comprises three articles which analyze roles and tasks of teachers in innovative secondary schools in Belgium, Norway, and England. Innovative secondary schools are interpreted as schools which favor educational practices such as open classrooms, team teaching, individual student projects, student participation in decision making,…

This guide is designed as a tool for English and Welsh businesses wanting to provide basic skills training for their employees. It provides practical solutions to the problems of identifying employees' basic skills needs and selecting the best model of training delivery to address identified training needs. The introductory section discusses basic…

The question of where "women returners" to education are returning from was examined through an exploration of the life histories of 18 women in southern England. The study focused on the biographies of women who regarded themselves as primarily responsible for the care of others and yet whose aspirations involved some form of continuing…

The document comprises three articles which analyze roles and tasks of teachers in innovative elementary schools in the United States, Netherlands, and England. Innovative schools are interpreted as schools which favor educational practices such as open classrooms, team teaching, parent involvement, nongraded classes, global orientation,…

This guide, which is aimed primarily at those responsible for providing learning opportunities within further education in England and Wales, deals with managing open learning. Addressed in the individual chapters of the guide are the following topics: the nature of open learning; the production of learning materials; the impact of open learning…