In the 1960s and 1970s distance education was seen as a way of increasing access to education, and hence as something the state should fund. Libertarian thinking has weakened support for the nation-state as a provider of social welfare. This article argues that libertarian policies are "vicious" in their effects. By subscribing to such…

Responds to a critique by Alistair Inglis of a previous article dealing with instructional industrialism and educational technology in open learning and distance education. Topics include paradigm shifts; instructional design; behaviorism and cognitive psychology; the relationship between practice, research, and theory; and possibilities for…

Reviews critiques of the authors' previous work, and examines the traditional theories regarding open and distance education. The role of educational technology is discussed; the impacts of social, economic, and political changes in a postindustrial world are considered; and distinctions between behaviorists and humanists are examined. (45…

Discusses student support systems in distance education based on experiences at the Open University (United Kingdom). Topics addressed include distance education versus traditional education; changes in the learning process; management theory; student support as a service industry; course production; resource allocation; and decision-making…

Discusses the Assessment of Prior Learning (APL) and describes a pilot project at the Open University (United Kingdom) that introduced credit for APL in one course. Steps in the assessment process are outlined, including constructing a student portfolio; and workload, staff development, and costs are considered. (LRW)