The Open University (OU) makes a proportion of all its taught modules available to the public via OpenLearn each year. This process involves the modification, of module excerpts, showcasing subject matter and teaching approach. This activity serves both the University's social and business missions through the delivery of free courses to the…

The Open University of Catalonia (UOC) is a pioneer university in the use of technology for online learning. The virtual teaching system enables to acquire professionalizing competences and facilitates the practitioners the update of knowledge in an optimum way. That is possible, on one hand, thanks to the resources for theoretical and practical…

This paper begins with a short description of the British Open University which covers the programs of study (undergraduate, continuing education, and higher degrees); mediums of teaching (correspondence texts, broadcast television, audiocassettes, radio, face-to-face or telephone tutorials, audioconferencing, summer schools, home experiment kits,…

This lecture considers the effectiveness of television as a medium for distance education in light of the experiences of the Open University in Great Britain. The main theses of the paper are that television is an important component of high quality open and distance education, but only when its unique teaching characteristics are exploited, and…

This paper describes the efforts of the director of a composition program who is also a teacher of composition at an open admissions college to teach critical thinking by showing students how to use content rather than just acquire it. Applying Jean Piaget's learning theory to classroom teaching, the director attempts to create an active learning…

There is an urgent need to restructure universities in Africa; current problems include the loss of autonomy, a decaying infrastructure, inadequate salaries, an internal job market void of opportunities, brain drain, intellectual isolation, diminished research, and fossilized curricula. There is an equal need for a stabilized funding source and…

In developing countries, the demand for educational dollars is greater than the supply. Priorities must be selected for open higher education in both methods and subject matter. Developing countries should give a higher priority to vocational education. Since well before World War II, distance education has been available in New Zealand.…

This paper discusses four major developments in the use of media at the Open University: (1) the move from radio to audiocassettes; (2) use of broadcast television vs. videocassettes; (3) increased use of interactive video; and (4) CYCLOPS tutorials, which provide immediate two-way communication via the telephone together with visual pictures.…

Although programmed instruction per se has not been used at the Open University (OU), the principles of programmed instruction have heavily influenced the development of systematic instruction and this paper describes the OU instructional development process in the context of seven principles of programmed instruction developed by Lysaught and…

This report describes the role of the Open University (OU) in providing technologically innovative opportunities in adult and continuing education in Britain. An introductory section explains the purpose of the Open University; its history and principles; its programs of study; its teaching methods and media; technology in its teaching system…

Reports on research that investigated characteristics of distance education programs in Germany that influenced the participation of women. Highlights include the number of women enrolled; drop-out rates; a description of the FernUniversitat, including degree programs and characteristics of the institution; and a pilot project aimed at single…

A differential fee policy was adopted at the Open Learning Institute (OLI) of Hong Kong after a process of conceptualization, planning, proposal, approval and implementation. Under the differential fee policy different tuition rates were charged for different courses. The differential fee policy was conceptualized at OLI based on economics,…

In the past, computing facilities at the Open University in the United Kingdom have been provided through terminals and modems in local study centers. A new policy to implement home computer use will rely on student owned microcomputers. While this policy reflects a commitment to increasing the use of computers as distance education aids, it may…

This paper describes the development of the CalStateTEACH program at California State University (CSU), Fresno, a system-wide initiative that is grafted onto the program of individual institutions. It was originally an open university program called CalNet. It was redeveloped during the fall of 1998, when teams of CSU teacher educators helped…

Describes the Open University's extension of its original role into continuing education, not only in the areas of professional and in-service training but also in community education. (Author)