This study investigated the kinds of dialogic behavior engaged in by students while studying a difficult physics course at the Open University, UK. Research objectives were twofold: (1) to document what dialogue types, mediated through which resources, were utilized by students to overcome conceptual difficulties that emerged while reading the…

Summarizes differences between face-to-face and distance learners at Fernuniversitat (West Germany) in terms of demographics, motivation, study conditions, and personal consequences, in order to provide some empirically derived insights into the psychological consequences of distance learning for learners. (MBR)

Presents a study on attraction of students to an open-university distance education program and their commitment to remain in the program over time. In this study, commitment is conjectured to be a function of program satisfaction, availability of educational alternatives, and investment of time, energy, money, and ego. (MBR)

Describes survey of distance education students at the Universitas Terbuka, the Open University of Indonesia, that was conducted to determine characteristics of the students and their attitudes toward distance learning. Findings related to gender, status, age, occupation, and previous qualifications are reported, and implications for third world…

The question why some learners successfully study through distance mode and others do not is increasingly becoming important as open and distance learning (ODL) has come to occupy a prominent place in providing higher education to large segments of the population in India. With barely 1112 students studying through distance mode in 1962, the…

The Open University is discussed from the standpoints of problems, the design of the Student Application Form, an analysis of the student's progress, data collection techniques, and the course unit reporting system. Problems discussed include: the devising of an integrated multi-media system suitable for teaching degree-level courses; teaching…

In order to respond to learners' need for more flexible speaking opportunities and to overcome the geographical challenge of students spread over the United Kingdom and continental Western Europe, the Open University recently introduced Internet-based, real-time audio conferencing, thus making a groundbreaking move in the distance learning and…

The structures/systems required to ensure the quality of individual learning programs in further education (FE) in Britain and the coherence of learner achievement were examined through a study in which data were obtained from a survey of students in individual learning programs at two FE colleges and a literature review. At both colleges,…

The Open University of Great Britain relies heavily on broadcasting as a mode of instruction. Because increased course offerings have made program scheduling a problem and because production costs have risen sharply, a survey was conducted to determine the use patterns of students so that the system's resources could be allocated in the most…

This report presents findings from the second national survey of distance education undertaken by the National Center for Education Statistics. The survey covers the 12-month 1997-98 academic year and includes data for higher education institutions as well as all 2-year and 4-year postsecondary institutions. Highlights of the report include the…

The way that Open University students study technology (T100) and social science (D101) foundation courses was investigated using an inventory developed at Lancaster University. A comparison of study approaches of Open University and conventional university students, and data derived from student interviews were analyzed. The Lancaster inventory,…

This 1995 federal survey designed to provide the first nationally representative data about higher education distance education course offerings. Data were collected in fall 1995 from 2-year and 4-year higher education institutions and were weighted to provide national estimates. The study includes information about the percentage of institutions…

This book, which is intended for individuals involved in recruiting and teaching students in open and distance learning (ODL) situations, examines academic and nonacademic student support issues in ODL. The following are among the topics discussed in the book's 14 chapters: (1) models and definitions of ODL systems; (2) rationale for student…