Focuses on quality assurance in open and distance education. Discusses making use of new technologies in ways besides the simple transfer of content; establishing systems of quality assurance and control tailored to universities' needs; four broad principles for developing distance education policies and procedures; and managing change. (AEF)

Examines concepts that are closely associated with distance education. Discusses the beginnings of open education; open access and admission criteria; course availability; access to technology; the E-rate program for those on the less fortunate side of the "digital divide"; beyond flexibility; and the learner's responsibility for learning. (AEF)

Information technology tools associated with various educational activities often rely on different models of the needed information, support different cooperative styles, and are based on different media and technologies. The architecture of an open software platform which supports educational activities is presented in this paper. The…

Tertiary institutions worldwide are catering increasingly to adult, part-time students who are entering higher education for the first time. This paper addresses the compound problems that these students face in attempting to pursue a distance education in a second language. It offers the specific example of Hong Kong and the access and degree…

Presented in historical context, the books listed in this annotated bibliography offer insights into professional education concerns and can help teachers know about the great ideas and themes of their field, and what the best and most provocative books are today. The bibliography begins with books that list and annotate topically selected best…

The planning and development phases of Tea Tree Gully College in South Australia and stage 1 of the design and construction of Joondalup Campus of North Metropolitan College in Western Australia were examined in two detailed case studies. Both are colleges of Technical and Further Education (TAFE). Strategic planning processes emerged as the most…

This proceeding includes the following 28 papers selected from the 1992 Conference of the Australian Society for Educational Technology: "Ecunet, Edith Cowan University's Video Conferencing Network: Two Years On" (Michael Grant); "Navigation Options in Interactive Multimedia" (John G. Hedberg & Barry Harper); "The…

John Wood Community College's Open Learning Center (OLC) offers an alternative to traditional classroom approaches using one-to-one instruction, a competency-based learning format, and flexible scheduling. Due to concern over the high attrition rate in OLC courses, a study was conducted to identify the characteristics and variables contributing to…

This report describes efforts of a technical assistance team under the Documentation and Technical Assistance Project of the Center for New Schools (Chicago, Illinois) to link research and practice for school improvement in Chicago Public School District 21. Section I discusses some characteristics and educational needs of urban areas, generally,…

This case study is the result of observations of the Responsive Education Project, undertaken at the University Center for Responsive Education, a resource center used by teachers, parents, and children, and at several New York City elementary schools in which the Project operates its Learning Community Program. This open education project was one…

Twenty-five papers presented at the conference include papers on the role of the site coordinator in a distributed education network in Ontario; student support systems in the Open University of Israel; the dilemmas of designing a computer mediated communication support system; interactive libraries; tutoring in technical science in the Open…

The second of two volumes in these proceedings contains the text (or, in some cases, an abstract) of 124 papers on the use of technology at all levels of education, including elementary, secondary, and higher education. These papers were presented at 25 topic sessions by delegates representing more than 30 nations. Themes of the sessions include:…

Irrespective of how learning is done, all learning includes common elements. Learning philosophy may be discussed in terms of settler and pioneer philosophies. Settler philosophy attempts to answer all the questions and to define and tame the educational establishment. Pioneer philosophy, on the other hand, is an attempt to provide education in…

A case study of an at-risk student in a whole language "transition first grade" (representing an extra year between kindergarten and first grade) classroom chronicles her transition from an anxious and withdrawn student to an enthusiastic learner. Although it took nearly a month for the student to relax in the classroom, she then responded eagerly…

This paper explores how a set of curriculum reforms in the United States and England over the past 20 years may be interrelated, according to conclusions drawn from ethnographic investigation and informed by historical reflections. The discussion centers upon the case of informal, open, or progressive education, which has enjoyed a 40 plus--year…