This document is a report of the proceedings of a symposium on university distance education and innovations in telecommunications designed to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas among administrators, educators, and researchers representing various organizations and nations. It is noted that, in Asia and the Pacific region in particular,…

This document contains an analysis of demographic information on Open University students from 1971 to 1987. Three sections analyze the characteristics of the following: (1) finally registered new students (1971-1987); (2) finally registered associate students (1975-1987); and (3) finally registered associate short course students (1984-1987). The…

Three studies of cooperative problem solving among university students examined how to design effective computer-based support for collaborative learning in distance education. The first was a questionnaire study of 150 Open University students who had participated in three different courses in physics and mathematics. Its aim was to determine…

The Open University pioneered the first use of computer conferencing in mass distance education in 1988, when it was used to provide tutorial support to more than 1,300 students in the United Kingdom via electronic mail and conference messages. A study of the use of the system in the first year revealed that: (1) only one-third of the students…

Since its establishment in 1978, Thailand's Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (STOU) has attracted world-wide attention for its innovative, multimedia approach to distance education and for its varied assortment of degree and non-degree programs. Four articles by Dr. Wichit Srisa-an, the founding rector of STOU, are presented in this volume:…

Changes in a group of students' conception of learning over 6 years of part-time study were investigated at Great Britain's Open University. The direct exploration of students' experiences of learning involved a qualitative and phenomenological research paradigm. Learning was described in the context of the natural setting based on the learner's…

Both author and numerical indexes to ERIC documents on various facets of distance education that were entered in the ERIC database from 1966 through 1985 are provided in this guide to the literature. Topics covered include correspondence study, correspondence schools, distance education, educational radio, educational television, external degree…

The way in which the University of South Florida (USF) developed its Open University is discussed in this report. Implemented in 1972, the Open University meets the needs of working students, many of whom live a considerable distance from one of the campuses. Annual enrollment today exceeds 7,000, and the pattern of growth indicates a need for…

Funded by the Department of Education and Science in 1981, this study was carried out by a team of researchers from a polytechnic institute, a private university, and the Open University. A national sample of about 4,500 mature students who were taking a wide range of courses--from evening classes to full-time higher degrees--completed detailed…

An overview of the history of nontraditional programs within the American higher education system discusses the energy and spirit provided by such programs and relates them to the basic principles of American culture (importance of individuality, respect for diversity, and belief in equality). During the development of American culture, the five…

This position paper explores the potential of new technology to radically alter both distance education and conventional higher education. It hypothesizes that technological developments could even lead to the demise of the conventional campus-based higher education institution by the year 2000. Instead, people of all ages would be able to study…

Both author and numerical indexes to journal articles on various facets of distance education that were indexed for the ERIC database from the implementation of Current Index to Journals in Education (CIJE) in 1969 to 1985 are provided in this guide to the literature. Topics covered include correspondence courses, correspondence schools,…

This issue presents papers that were presented at an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) seminar on university extension and community outreach. They give an overview of the philosophy and work of extension departments in some of the universities of Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore. "University Extension and Community Service in…

The Soviet government has consistently relied upon the country's educational system, including adult education, to advance its ideological, social, and economic goals. In the Soviet Union, education has been used to promote Soviet identity, minimize the impact of religion, advance the status of women, and help increase worker productivity. Adult…

Seminar and conference reports and working papers on distance education of adults, which reflect the experiences of many countries, are presented. Contents include the draft report of the 1979 International Seminar on Distance Education held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, which was jointly sponsored by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa…