At Britain's Open University all the teaching staff work in teams, one team responsible for each course throughout its life. The author examines and evaluates the effective functioning of these course teams identifying conditions under which such units might be effectively utilized in other settings. (JT)

An evaluation of the student-centered learning program at Great Britain's Open University is presented. (HB)

This examination of international distance education and open university applications of communication satellites at the postsecondary level notes activities in less developed countries (LDCs); presents potential models for cooperation; and describes technical systems for distance education, emphasizing satellite technology and possible problems…

Educational opportunity for growth and self-fulfillment should remain open to people of all ages. In Great Britain there are several higher and adult education systems to encourage and fulfill the talents of youth, adults, and older students, including open learning systems, youth services, flexistudy, open universities, adult education, and…

The underlying philosophy of Everyman's University, Israel's open university, is to maintain educational excellence while providing equal educational opportunity to large segments of the population through free access and a flexible program of distance education. (MSE)

Suggests individual educational technologists have developed a variety of work styles including those characterized as: knowledge expert, executive manager, social-analyst, and specialist. These styles of working, based upon work behaviors of educational technologists at Great Britain's Open University, are compared in terms of practices, focuses,…

Discusses development and use of Open Learning Institute's computerized course development and production systems which solved some of the inherent problems in course writing. A network of microcomputers which facilitates preparation of production-ready manuscripts and course authoring templates constructed from word processing software is…

The cost effectiveness of videocassettes and television broadcasts for the Open University's instructional purposes is examined, and the relative inexpensiveness of videocassette production and distribution is weighed against other issues, including access to equipment, changes in format necessary to take advantage of videocassettes' instructional…

Today's economy demands a much greater commitment to adult vocational training. Both conventional British universities and the Open University serve this need, but there are areas where more needs to be done. Commitment of substantial resources is necessary and this probably cannot be achieved from fee income alone. (Author/MSE)

The American Open University idea was conceived as a logical follow-up to the University of Mid-America which had started in Nebraska, spread to a large geographic region, and began to market its media materials to colleges and universities throughout the nation. (Availability: Open University, 70 Manchester Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester,…

The Open University set out ten years ago to solve the problem of dropouts in external degree programs. The importance of its success for itself and other institutions is discussed, although there is caution due to the lack of unanimity in terminology in dropout research, and the danger of using dropouts to compare institutions. (MSE)

The open university teaching system is grounded in an inappropriate theory of learning, with too much emphasis placed on the didactic approach to the presentation of knowledge and the student's ability to memorize it. Andragogic and pedagogic perspectives should be combined in designing courses. (MSE)

The substantial use of educational television by the Open University has not yet taken advantage of the potential for interactive learning through use of video replay. The traditional broadcast format has predominated. (MSE)