Presents a series of questions to help rural school administrators assess their readiness to include distance learning as part of the instructional program. The questions address program need or purpose, school resources (human, facilities, and equipment), and selection of distance learning technology system. Lists brief explanations of common…

This report provides a brief description of a 1986 conference on distance education together with four of the papers presented by the five keynote speakers; an outline of the fifth paper is included. It is noted that, in addition to these papers, the conference included 26 application sessions which allowed the 183 participants to select issues…

At the Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management at the University of Houston (Texas), the faculty and administrators made a conscious effort to take a broad, extensive approach to designing and implementing a fully online masters program. This approach was entered in a comprehensive needs assessment model and sought input from…

Educators involved in the delivery of distance education would do well to heed the following rules regarding the use of learning technologies: know yourself and how you create and manage a personal presence; aim for a mix of learning technologies and strive for integration without duplication; realize that each learning technology has its own…

This decision tool presents a progression of data collection and decision-making strategies that can increase the effectiveness of distance-based or distributed learning instruction. A narrative and flow chart cover the following steps: (1) basic assumptions, including purpose of instruction, market scan, and financial resources; (2) needs…

Instructional development provides a procedure and framework for systematically planning, developing, and adapting instruction based on identifiable learner needs and content requirements, a process essential in distance education. Although instructional development models and processes abound, the majority follow the same basic stages of design,…

The content of this paper is based on a development plan currently in design for the U.S. Navy in conjunction with the Learning Systems Institute at Florida State University. Leading research (literature review) references and case study ("best practice") references are presented as supporting evidence for the results-oriented…

This paper describes the needs assessment activities that informed the design and development of M.Ed. and post-master's degree courses and programs to be delivered onsite and through distance technology support in rural areas. Two partner school systems participated in the needs assessment with three more currently involved in the programs.…

This paper describes the theoretical foundations of an online course to teach clinical educators how to convert a traditional face-to-face course for either flexible or distance delivery. We describe the design research approach to the creation of the course and the pedagogical theory behind the course development. We also present the details of…

The purpose of this paper is to promote and improve needs assessment in distance education through the exploration of eight questions: (1) what is a needs assessment?; (2) how are needs assessments related to successful distance education?; (3) where have needs assessments been used in distance education?; (4) which approach to needs assessment…

Leading professionals in the field discuss instructional design and systems, computer applications in education and training, research and evaluation in instructional technology, future prospects for instructional technology, and professional development. The book contains six parts. A brief outline of instructional development and educational…

In order to promote successful distance education techniques, the University of Minnesota developed a training program to prepare faculty to teach via their instructional television (ITV) delivery system. The need for specific areas of faculty development were assessed through a survey of current practitioners, as well as a content analysis of…

A workshop for nurse and health educators involved in the development of distance education study materials, methods, and delivery systems was held in February 1987 at the Center for Distance Learning at Gippsland Institute. Goals were: (1) to explore distance education approaches to meet nursing education needs; (2) to develop skills to plan,…

Both interview and direct observation data were collected via on-site visits with the training directors at 22 U.S. training centers which had been identified as the best training facilities in order to examine why the instructional methods, techniques, and media changes in use had been tried and adopted, and to identify the trends these methods…

This review of the literature on educational radio covers reports on research from many areas of the world. Prepared as an internal report for the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and Educational Radio and Television (ERTV), it was intended to provide a basis for both fruitful discussions and more specific and practical local…