Terry Anderson is a professor and Canada Research chair in Distance Education at Athabasca University, Canada's Open University, where he teaches in the Masters of Distance Education program. In this article, Anderson begins his response to "A Review of E-Learning in Canada" by commenting that he believes Philip Abrami and his colleagues…

A model is presented for response to evaluating instruction in a university based on the teaching-at-a-distance concept. Technically appropriate and operationally viable, this model is applied to the National Open University of Venezuela (UNA). The model is based on two principles of educational evaluation: (1) the concept of evaluation as a…

An induction program set up by the Institute of Educational Technology at the Open University (England) in 1977 for new members of the technology faculty is described and evaluated. Two principles were followed in the program: (1) documentation should be carefully selected so as not to overload the participants; and activity-based experiences are…

The Open University is playing a significant part in "compensatory" education by providing degree-level courses for large numbers of adults who for one reason or another did not go on to degree-level education after leaving school. It has attracted a large number of students from working-class backgrounds. (Author/LBH)

This examination of educational institutions and their acceptance of the design and implementation of technologically based instruction considers instructional technology as a subset of technology. Methods of institutional analysis from other disciplines are presented to stimulate research that uses aspects of educational institutions themselves…

Describes design and production of the award-winning software used to control Great Britain's Open University Materials Science videodisc, the Teddy Bear Disc, which is used to teach undergraduate students about materials engineering. The disc is designed for use in one-week sessions, which students attend in July or August. (MBR)

This profile of an open university library system in Pakistan covers its primary objective; functional organization; library collection and collection development; staffing, budgets and expenditures; library services (users, technical, reference); departmental libraries (on-campus branch, regional); and the library building. A list of 16 library…

An examination of the need for academic advising and tutoring for upper division students of the Open University in Scotland reveals a gap between institutional recommendations and the actual use and perception of the services. Clearer guidance is recommended for tutor-counselors, and questions are posed about service needs for further…

The situation of the part-time tutor at the Open University is examined by a staff member. Consideration is given to the sense of isolation, the part-timer's general role in the university and limitations enforced by that role, and the contribution part-timers could make to course maintenance and planning. (LBH)

An article taken from a state-of-the-art paper given at the UNESCO/UNDP International Workshop on Environmental Education at Belgrade in October 1975. Topics include the media as environmental educators, environmental action, university-related courses, problems and opportunities, and recommendations for action. (JT)

Using British research related to the Open University's Postgraduate Certificate in Education (OU PGCE), a preservice teacher education program, this paper considers how open and distance learning (ODL) programs are evolving quality assurance systems and procedures across a range of elements, including student teacher assessment. The paper…

This is the report on part-time study in UK higher education institutions (HEIs) for Universities UK and GuildHE (previously SCOP) from Nigel Brown Associates. It forms Strand 2 of the wider research into part-time higher education commissioned by Universities UK and GuildHE using quantitative data not available from published sources and…

Studies the use of audiovisual media (radio, television, and audio-cassettes) in a technology course at the Open University in Great Britain. Results show that each type of media lends itself to a particular teaching function in distance education. (Author/JJD)

A three-year project to adapt existing Open University parenting course materials for a wider range of family and community settings is described. Experience using the materials with informal groups of mothers, and with individuals within the groups, are discussed. (MSE)

Examines the cost structure and future system costs of Venezuela's Universidad Nacional Abierta, compares them with the costs of other distance universities, and discusses the cost implications of media choice, size of program, and number of students. The usefulness of cost analysis and projection for decision making is also discussed. (EAO)