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…

The history and philosophy of the free university, defined as an organization that offers noncredit classes to the general public in which "anyone can teach and anyone can learn," is explored. Offered is practical advice for starting a free university center or exchange and ensuring its success. Three contemporary versions of free…

At the Open University of Great Britain, certain problems are created by the school's heavy reliance on radio and television broadcasts as a mode of instruction. Students have difficulty: 1) integrating the broadcast with the rest of the course; 2) recognizing the purpose of the broadcast; 3) knowing what to do with the results of the broadcast;…

The Open University (OU), an advanced multimedia instructional system, was established by the British government to provide university and professional education to those with the ability to continue their education by study in their own time, and particularly to those who could not otherwise obtain education at a university. This overview…

An experimental program at Sheffield University, Britain, was designed to attract more "minimally qualified" students into the Open University and to test group admission to undergraduate studies. Most of the students would not normally have considered applying to the Open University. Ten of the 11 students passed. (SW)

Presents distance learning as a possible solution to augment the content area knowledge of teachers that will be teaching coordinated science and discusses some of the problems inherent in such an approach. Outlines how the Physics for Science Teachers Project at Open University is seeking to address these problems. (CW)