This qualitative study examines perceptions and use of assignment feedback among adult beginner modern foreign language learners on higher education distance learning courses. A survey of responses to feedback on assignments by 43 Open University students on beginner language courses in Spanish, French, and German indicated that respondents can be…

Learning participation only makes sense if it is purposeful. From our perspective its primary purpose is to achieve more effective managing in situations of complexity and change. We describe our evolving understandings and practices (a praxeology) for Systems Practice for managing complexity, built on 30 years of developing supported open…

This report describes the role of the Open University (OU) in providing technologically innovative opportunities in adult and continuing education in Britain. An introductory section explains the purpose of the Open University; its history and principles; its programs of study; its teaching methods and media; technology in its teaching system…

This collection of 219 ERIC "ED" (non-journal) abstracts was compiled through systematic, free-text computer searches of "all related" ERIC documents, which were conducted for the preparation of a 1983 research report entitled "Serving Learners at a Distance." The ERIC identifiers "distance education" (now a…

The problem of learning programming subjects, especially through distance learning and E-Learning, has been widely reported in literatures. Many attempts have been made to solve these problems. This has led to many new approaches in the techniques of learning of programming. One of the approaches that have been proposed is the use of virtual pair…

This paper uses the Open University of the Netherlands as an instructive case for the introduction of e-learning based on the IMS Learning Design specification (IMS LD). The IMS LD specification, as approved by the IMS Global Learning Consortium in 2003, enables the specification and encoding of learning scenarios that describe any design of a…

In 2003-04 the Open University offered its first German beginners' course with a dual tuition strand: tutorials were delivered either face-to-face or online using synchronous, audio-graphic, Internet-based conferencing software. For the new online tutors, a special training programme was designed and delivered. We evaluated the benefits of our…

A study was made of how conventional, face-to-face teaching methods might be used in conjunction with correspondence study (CS), programed instruction (PI), educational television (ETV) and radio broadcasts, and other approaches to make higher education more widely available throughout the region served by the University of the West Indies. These…

These aspects of three European open universities in Great Britain, Spain, and West Germany are discussed: the impetus to establish distance teaching universities, academic programs, student characteristics, production of graduates, teaching media, costs (Britain only), academic standards, and overall success. (MSE)

The main characteristic of Distance Learning is that the student is taught and learns without his tutor's physical presence in the classroom. The opportunity for a direct (face to face) communication between all members of the educational group [tutor counselor (TC) and students] in Distance Learning is offered by the Tutorials/Contact Sessions…

Describes an open admissions program, a public university's nontraditional population, and their unique academic needs. Provides a political science briefing book assignment in which students research and write about one country. Claims the book is effective in helping students to organize and focus their thoughts and to improve their research and…

Examines the use of distance education for inservice teacher education worldwide. Although the United Kingdom (UK) has many colleges and no vast distances, distance education makes a significant contribution to teacher education in a period of rapid educational change. The UK Open University offers high-quality, multimedia inservice courses. (SM)

Realizing the importance of teaching efficiency at early stages of the program of study in computer science (CS) on one hand, and the difficulties encountered when introducing this concept on the other, we advocate a different didactic approach in the introductory CS course (CS1). This paper describes the approach as it is used at the Open…

Universities increasingly adopt innovative teaching models, which focus on the development of skills instead of the reproduction of knowledge. These new teaching models emphasise the importance of knowledge application and the development of competencies. Yet, using these teaching methods usually implies a high assessment burden for lecturers.…

Normal practice in course and text book construction is to provide learners with pre-selected material chosen by the authors to illustrate a pre-determined grammar, content or teaching syllabus. This paper will discuss the effect of the reversal of this process at a pilot workshop session in which learners themselves were invited to select the…