Open universities are analyzed from the perspective of innovation in higher education in the areas of organization/administration and curriculum/instruction. Examples are drawn from open universities internationally to illustrate what was intended to be innovative, what worked out as innovative, and what turned out unexpectedly to be innovative.…

Two uses of computers for teaching in distance education are compared and contrasted: systems based on structured, pre-programmed learning materials, or computer-assisted learning, where the learner communicates as if with the computer; and systems based on the communications functions of computers, or computer-mediated communications systems…

This career booklet presents nine short biographies of women who began studying as mature students--after working or staying at home with their families--and were able to develop new careers in the less traditional female areas of work in technology and engineering. Aimed at women in their 30s and 40s, the booklet illustrates ways in which women…

Problems facing higher education in India are examined in terms of systems analysis, structural changes, input-output ratios, and critical perspectives of the system itself. Part I (Introduction and Present Position) provides an introduction to the problems, information on the education commission, and planning in education. Part II (Higher…

The Centre for International Cooperation and Services (CICS), part of the Open University of the United Kingdom, is described. Distance learning is defined and related to the Open University. Information is provided on the establishment, work, services, and resources of the CICS. A wallet folder at the back of the booklet contains details of the…

A generalized procedure for interrelating possible research activities and decisions over the life of a course is proposed. The main levels at which research can contribute to the evaluation are discussed, and data are presented in relation to one particular program: the Social Science foundation course at the Open University. (Author/LBH)

Courses undertaken by associate students at the Open University are not necessarily part of a degree program but may meet professional continuing educational needs or involve undergraduate level preparation. A counselor's notes describe advisory and counseling support provided to associate students. (SW)

Main areas of stress experienced by married Open University students are reported, especially domestic pressures that are harmful to study. Also considered are the need for guidance, problems of finance, and attendance at summer school. (LBH)

Consists of eight articles discussing the topic of open learning. Articles address (1) definitions, (2) corporate training, (3) further education programs, (4) university-based training, (5) distance learning, (6) learning to learn, (7) Britain's Open University, (8) the Business-Technical Education Council. (CH)

The author describes the Research and Training Center at Lahti (Finland): its general task, its goals, and its organization. The center's main projects are examined: open university studies, supplementary professional education, employment oriented training, extension projects, international cooperation, and research activities. Financing of the…

Discusses process of continuous assessment that involves many tutors grading papers at Great Britain's Open University and the problem of grade unreliability within such a system. A longitudinal experiment involving grading of papers in one course by all tutors and comparing their grades to determine grading reliability is described. (MBR)

A study of the need for graduate student supervision in Britain's Open University examined student characteristics, reasons for choosing the program, the roles of the internal (campus-based) and external (local) supervisors, student attitudes and needs, the need for written reports, admission criteria, and other, related program administration…

Presents results of a market research survey conducted by Athabasca University to determine interest in a natural resources planning and management home study degree program. Responses related to employment prospects, usefulness for professional development, home-study options, degree offerings, proposed program design, and format of proposed…

Recent European and American influences have created a more complex and heterogeneous Brazilian higher education system, with institutions reflecting a broader range of cultural borrowings and a coexistence of ideas and trends that gradually lose their foreign identity. (MSE)

The at-risk and dropout student population at the Open University was examined in a student survey. This article deals with a descriptive model of progress and withdrawal, student motivation, stages of adult development, previous educational background, interplay of characteristics and circumstances, and educational self-concept. (LBH)