In 2012, the Smithsonian Center for Learning and Digital Access (SCLDA) launched Smithsonian Quests, an online program for student self-directed learning that is recognized and rewarded with digital badges. This article examines the rationale, development, implementation, and outcomes of the Smithsonian Quests program, lessons learned along the…

Teacher education in India, including that offered by the open distance learning (ODL) system to thousands every year, imparts mainly pedagogic knowledge, although the need for integrated teacher education programmes has been underscored. As the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), an ODL institution, will develop an integrated Bachelor…

This paper proposes an andragogical, adult education, or "learner-friendly" model as an appropriate basis for a program of continuing professional education, specifically for school social workers. It discusses the various factors that must be taken into account in the design, construction, and execution of such a program. The following factors…

The Open Junior Secondary School, or "SMP Terbuka," was conceived in 1976 as a means of providing junior secondary school education through distance education delivery to disadvantaged students in Indonesia. Although different in structure, SMP Terbuka is part of Indonesia's formal educational system, and uses the same standard Junior…

This paper describes the audio-tutorial short course as a method for introducing high quality instruction about new problems in international studies (IS) at the college level. The basic equipment to the audio-tutorial approach to learning is a booth with a tape recorder, a study guide, and a notebook with extra readings. Students listen to the…

Details the middle school implementation of an Academies of Inquiry and Talent Development enrichment program involving authentic-learning and real-life problem solving objectives. Considers start-up issues of orientation for students and parents, as well as teacher planning. Also considers issues of maintaining high standards, finding time for…

This publication is a detailed guide for both adult basic education program managers and practitioners to the concept of adult literacy provision within an open learning model. It has three major sections. Section 1 investigates the aims and directions common to both open learning and adult basic education. It provides reviews of programs that…

This handbook describes what must be done to coordinate and manage distance education activities, shares practitioners' tips, provides guidelines for ensuring quality and strategies for building successful programs, and tells how to find specialized information. In addition to offering an introduction to the concepts and activities of distance…

Project REDEAL (Research and Evaluation of Distance Education for the Adult Learner) has designed a three-semester system for distance education. Design features have been recommended to maximize personal learner success as well as to have an impact on indicators of success. The individualized instructional environment recommended is a specific…

This report is a summary and review of a study on the effects of introducing an independent learning system in low socioeconomic (SES) schools. The report is organized into five sections. The first provides background information on the independent learning system, the research design and student variables of interest. The second section describes…

This manual is intended to guide the development of a primary grade gifted and talented program called Project EAGLE. The program focuses on lateral enrichment, higher level cognitive domain skills, creative thinking, self-directed learning, self-awareness and acceptance, and interpersonal relationships. Students complete assignments in…

Distance education, especially in the form of correspondence study, is not a new phenomenon, but the success of the British Open University has given it a new image. Distance education programs have been developed to respond to a variety of societal and educational situations for which traditional classroom-based approaches are less feasible. They…

The emphasis of this book is on means to meet teacher inservice needs more adequately in a teacher center setting. Process steps for planning and developing inservice programs based in teacher centers are outlined. The role of the central planning committee is crucial to the establishment of a successful teacher center. The responsibilities of…

This manual is designed to supply the information needed to enable schools, school districts, county offices of education, trainers of educators, and others to offer the independent study instructional strategy to students at all grade levels through high school. It contains the California state guidelines and legal requirements for independent…

Research on distance education in Mexico is still in the embryonic stage, in spite of its long history. One indication is that among the lines of research defined by the Mexican Council on Educational Research, the leading organization in the field in Mexico, distance education does not even appear. Only recently, in the last few years, has an…