This 10-section report on the activities of the Open University of the United Kingdom as an innovative institution with a concern for democratization of higher education begins with a discussion of the criteria for an innovative organization. The origins of the University and the intentions of its early planners are then discussed, followed by a…

The Women in Technology program, which ran for three years through the Open University, was a retraining program for qualified, experienced women technologists who had left paid employment for family reasons. It was designed to assist in the updating of technical knowledge and the promotion of confidence and skills in career planning for those…

This paper describes the aims, organization, and outcomes of a technology assessment activity that was part of a summer school for an undergraduate interdisciplinary women's studies course at the Open University of Great Britain. Entitled "The Changing Experience of Women," the course contained a technology assessment module for the…

The first part of this paper summarizes the experiences of the Open University in using print, television, and radio to provide postsecondary education to adults. Descriptions of these three components are followed by details on the functions served by each; i.e., how print, television, and radio differ in their ability to educate, and how the…

The Regents External Degrees program to earn a degree without attending college, and the College Proficiency Examinations to validate knowledge gained outside of the formal college classroom are described. The programs are administered by the University of the State of New York, which has no campus or courses, but accepts credits from accredited…

The 11 papers in this collection focus on isolation in education, with emphasis on problems associated with geographical remoteness, and with socio-cultural barriers also giving rise to isolation. Five papers concentrate on distance education and possible measures which can be used in social and educational processes to deal with isolation;…

Academic activities undertaken during 1981-1982 by member countries of the Organization of Educational Cooperation and Development are reported in 21 articles. The following topics are addressed: higher education in the international age, curriculum and teaching, reforms and innovations, open universities and adult education, and higher education…

This paper describes work that was done at Athabasca University as part of the "EduSource Canada" project. This work centered around learning object development based on pre-authored educational content. The major outcomes of the work were the development of an explicit semantic structure with strong educational focus for learning…

The conceptions of learning of 29 students enrolled in the Social Science Foundation course of Open University, Great Britain, were analyzed in relation to the five conceptual categories of learning reported by Saljo (1979). The first three of these concepts describes learning as an increase in information, knowledge as external to the student,…

The experience of an open university with the uses of technology in higher education is documented. The emphasis is on its exemplary use of educational technology in context. Examination of the details of how the Open University employs media to serve a large dispersed student body may benefit others who plan to expand or modify their own uses of…

A study of the unmet postsecondary educational needs of residents of a five-county area in northeastern Pennsylvania was conducted by means of surveys of 10,000 high school students, 10,000 adults, and 76 area employers. In addition, educational statistics of the area populations and an analysis of constraining geographic and economic factors were…

The issues of selecting an evaluation type, scope, and techniques are discussed in relation to a study that aims to investigate the effects of introducing a multimedia independent learning package into a conventional university environment. This is done by examining one second-level Open University course taught at the University of Essex.…

Support services provided to students studying at a distance or taking adult education courses in several countries were examined. Information was obtained from papers presented at an international symposium. Implications for the development of advisory and support services inside and outside the Open University are considered. (SW)

An analysis of developments at the Open University since 1973 indicates that there has been little reduction in average cost in real terms and that no improvement is likely on known developments to 1979. Reasons for this are explored, and suggestions for improving the situation are offered. (Editor/LBH)

The main kinds of difficulty experienced by disabled students and the many practical ways they have been approached are summarized. The important role played by the Open University, given necessary resources and sufficient flexibility, is meeting the needs of students who would otherwise find study almost impossible. (LBH)