The teaching of literature is inextricably connected with face-to-face initiation into the enjoyment of and critical thinking about literary texts. In this respect, the increasingly growing sector of Open and Distance Learning in higher education poses a significant challenge for literary studies, no less so as it addresses an emergent student…

This paper presents research on a convenience sample of the Open University of Sri Lanka's engineering faculty. Examined in this research are faculty's opinions on the instructional strategies they use to teach engineering courses at a distance. First, this paper details the pedagogical strategies used by the faculty, which is then followed by an…

Engaging imaginatively with how education is manifested is necessary for providers both in higher education and in preceding contexts and phases. Fostering dispositions for creativity in dynamic engagement and the consideration of pedagogy, curriculum, inclusion, policy and the management of change, requires innovative provision to span school,…

When asked what they would find most helpful to enable them to use technologies more in their teaching, most teachers say "give me examples, in my subject area" and "point me to relevant people I can discuss these issues with". Web 2.0 technologies--with their emphasis on sharing, networking and user production--seem to offer a…

This case study explores an open distance learning program offered by the Information Technology and Computing (ITC) department at AOUJ, a major university in Jordan. It provides an overview of e-learning in the Arab region and explores factors that affect ODL quality in the Arab Open University in Jordan (AOUJ). The research utilized a…

This paper attempts to compare the availability, quality, similarities and differences of students' support services in United Kingdom Open University (UKOU) and Sri Lanka Open University (SLOU) and also to identify and enlist the deficiencies that SLOU students are facing in the student support services. To get the desired end four hundred…

This paper examines the origin and implications of adult learners' emotions in the context of an online distance learning programme at the Open University of Cyprus. Various methods for gathering data about learners' emotions related to online learning are used, such as emotion diaries, semi-structured interviews, and email messages. The paper…

This article examines the various aims and methods of open universities and compares them with the system pioneered by Britain's Open University. He discusses the differences between open university systems, the place of the media, and the potential for conflict created by differing control systems. (CT)

Can we apply the best of Web 2.0 principles to an educational context? More specifically can we use this as a means of shifting teaching practice to a culture of sharing learning ideas and designs? This paper describes a new social networking site, "Cloudworks", which aims to provide a mechanism for sharing, discussing and finding…

This typology classifies distance education according to the kinds of instructional support provided by educational agencies and by the dimensions of learner self-sufficiency. The classification is then applied to the educational delivery system in British Columbia. (SK)

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…

The variable cost per student-course is with one exception lower in the Open University than elsewhere. This constitutes a strong case for the use of existing Open University packages in campus universities in England. (Editor/PG)

Current practice of telephone instruction across Britain's Open University undergraduate program is reviewed, based on regional data collected. Factors affecting the development of telephone tutoring and issues in its appropriateness are reviewed. (MSE)

Examination of the Open University's use of educational broadcasting indicates that it is a valuable resource but a continued emphasis on the hardware, together with a failure to recognize the problems which users may face, will mean that in many cases the results will not match the expectations. The emphasis is too often placed on the hardware…