In recent years, there has been a tremendous increase in the popularity of distance education among higher-education administrators. Students in growing numbers are also taking advantage of the flexibility and accessibility that distance education offers. This growth, however, has been a mixed blessing since it derives from using the Internet…

A 2008 report, "Keeping Pace with K-12 Online Learning," commissioned by North American Council for Online Learning (NACOL) and others, defines online learning as "teacher-led education that takes place over the Internet, with the teacher and student separated geographically." The term "distance learning" includes online education, but is…

The Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) initiative was undertaken to make education, training, and lifelong learning accessible at any time, anywhere. It has developed specifications and techniques that are being adopted globally by governments, businesses, and schools. Although ADL currently focuses on government and business applications, it has…

The Chief Executive Office of Microsoft Corporation urges more complete integration of technology into higher education. He offers specific examples of how such integration can provide a new way to learn (such as accessing information on the Internet and using individually paced instruction) and efficient distance learning. Colleges and…

Urges distance educators to pay more attention to planning proper student interactions with "wetware," the internal processing/storage/retrieval systems and strategies used by the distance education learner. Notes that while hardware and software have developed, there has been little research into the differing learning styles of distance…

Focuses on instructional and learning systems in distance education. Highlights include: learner-centeredness of distance education; instructor's role; relevant content to individual needs; balancing roles of instructors and learners; personalizing instruction; ramifications for instructional and learning system design; and architecture of dynamic…

Discusses problems in education, and examines problems of computer usage. Explores how computers could lead to improvements in education with individualized learning, interactive software, computer-based courses, language-based interfaces, and distance learning. (PEN)

The goal of the Carnegie Mellon Online project is to build an infrastructure for delivery of courses via the World Wide Web. The project aims to deliver educational content and to assess student competency in support of courses across the Carnegie Mellon University (Pennsylvania) curriculum and beyond, thereby providing an asynchronous,…

This monograph in the Urban Diversity Series describes the The Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL)initiative, relates it to research dealing with instruction generally and computer-mediated instruction specifically, and discusses its implications for education. ADL was undertaken to make instructional material universally accessible primarily, but…

This investigation of delivery systems for continuing professional education provides an overview of current operational delivery systems in continuing professional education, drawing on experience as found in the literature. Learning theories and conclusions are woven into the descriptive text. Delivery systems profiled in the paper include the…

This booklet, which is intended for general readers wishing to understand important trends in vocational education and training, provides insight into how self-paced learning programs are being implemented in Australia and how teachers and students evaluate their effectiveness. The following topics are discussed in the first booklet's first seven…

For the twenty-ninth year, the Research and Theory Division of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) is sponsoring the publication of these Proceedings. Papers published in this volume were presented at the National AECT Convention in Orlando, Florida. The Proceedings of AECT's Convention are published in two…