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…

Distributed on a random basis to 3,000 patrons, this survey was conducted to provide the administration of the Edmonton Public Library with a comprehensive evaluation of the service the library provides to the public. The results, which were tabulated using frequency distribution tables and which make up the major part of the report, are presented…

In this book, 17 psychologists, anthropologists, social workers and others explore important theoretical and applied issues concerning the mental health of Appalachian people. Rejecting the view of Appalachia as an area dominated by a culture of poverty, these papers portray a strong regional culture based on family, community, and religion. This…

This brief overview of the state of the art in computer education in schools in the Federal Republic of Germany covers both the extent and areas of use and research and development, and frequent comparisons are made with educational computer usage in other countries, including the United States, Japan, France, Great Britain, and Norway. The…

One of two reports on the 1985 Home Information Technology Study (HITS), a national survey conducted to provide insights into the role played by educational technologies in out-of-school learning, this volume provides current estimates of the availability and accessibility of information technologies and related program materials in American…

One of two reports on the 1985 Home Information Technology Study (HITS), a national survey conducted to provide insights into the role played by educational technologies in out-of-school learning, this volume provides current national estimates of the nature and extent of non-school learning by children, adolescents, and adults, and examines the…

A randomized experiment was performed in five high schools in which a random half of the students in a sophomore English class received a special 8-week library-oriented treatment designed to improve students' understanding of, attitudes toward, and use of the school library. The treatment was found to have a statistically significant effect on…

School broadcasting has a relatively long history in Japan. Radio programs intended for school use were inaugurated by NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) in 1935, and school television broadcasting began in 1953. As of April 1986, the NHK sends 7 hours and 30 minutes of radio programs and 32 hours and 15 minutes of television programs per week,…

A "learning by doing" class was offered by the University of Minnesota to teach needs assessment concepts and approaches. The needs assessment was conducted at the Onan Corporation, which produces industrial engines and other equipment. The class was composed of nine graduate students in industrial or vocational education and was…

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of using an electronic bulletin board in an off-campus doctoral program (Ed.D.) for health professionals offered by the University of Georgia. Participants included 14 doctoral students (13 female and 1 male) enrolled in an advanced course, Research in Instruction, who received training in…

A strategy to identify and address computing needs at a large state university is described that may be used by any university. A task force on instructional computing was formed, and information was gathered concerning: the amount of access and types of computing facilities needed; the issue of standardization of hardware and software; support…

School broadcasting has a relatively long history in Japan. Radio programs intended for school use were inaugurated by NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) in 1935, and school television broadcasting began in 1953. As of April 1983, the NHK sends 13 hours and 50 minutes of radio programs and 33 hours and 30 minutes of television programs per week,…

This reappraisal of the situation of instructional television (ITV) in education begins by defining the field, providing background information, describing the various roles that ITV can fill, and discussing the structure of ITV as a profession. Various aspects of ITV use are then discussed in the context of: (1) national use statistics on ITV…

A survey of a random sample of students from five tertiary institutions in Melbourne was conducted in 1986 to determine the nature and extent of their usage of their own university or college and other libraries. Questionnaires were mailed to 1,996 students, of whom 999 responded. The questionnaire sought information on: (1) students' backgrounds;…

A survey examined perception and use of the services of the Instructional Systems Laboratory (ISL) by the faculty of the University of Minnesota's College of Education. The questionnaire, mailed to all College of Education faculty members, emphasized faculty perception of instructional systems in the following areas: (1) instructional commitment:…