The author calls for the implementation of a formal structure of staff involvement of Open University (United Kingdom) part-time staff in the planning and implementation of staff development programs. Such a plan would help improve relations between the University and its part-time instructional staff. (JMD)

A major effort to facilitate lifelong learning has been undertaken by the College Board-sponsored program, Future Directions for a Learning Society. Its definition, goals, progress, and promise are described. (LBH)

The Regents External Degree Program of the University of the State of New York, Thomas A. Edison College, and the Board for State Academic Awards of Connecticut are external degree institutions serving new functions in American higher education. Without admissions requirements, they are making higher education available to many who could not…

Examines elements of the telecommunications delivery system as a means of teaching vocational education. The author discusses costs of teleconferencing; telecommunications consortia at the state, national, and local level; access to off-campus students; satellite teleconferencing seminars; slow scan video teleconferencing networks; and two-way…

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)

This book, intended for students planning, exploring, or currently completing graduate school via long distance, is written by two people who themselves completed a doctoral program via long distance. The book is based on personal experiences, an informal survey of people in this country and abroad, and responses from a listserv concerning…

The Southern Rural Development Center (SRDC) at Mississippi State University fosters innovative approaches to sustainable rural development and builds collaborative networks among agencies, institutions, and communities. The center's key goals are to: 1) strengthen and support the capacity of Southern land-grant institutions and their partners to…

This report summarizes the activities of the three components of Colorado's statewide extended campus during the 1998-99 academic year. The first, and largest, section focuses on the extended studies program, which has been Colorado's primary vehicle for the delivery of off-campus instruction since 1972. The report provides an overview of the…

This study examined differences in final course grades for campus-based and distance education students in the Graduate School of Education and Human Services at Nova Southeastern University (Florida). Data on 8,096 course grades for winter term 1997 were obtained from university records. It was found that students enrolled in courses offered…

Statistical study of attrition and performance among external students of the University of Papua New Guinea found the most important factors in student attrition to be age, number of children, and to a lesser extent, housing conditions, sex, sponsorship, and region of residence. (EAO)

Identifies the distance education learner, examines the approaches and teaching models of various educational theorists to the satisfaction of learners' needs, and relates these approaches particularly to the field of distance education. An extensive bibliography is provided. (EAO)

A form used in Britain's Open University for teachers to criticize team-developed courses has been improved to allow for more constructive comments, more two-way communication, and continual course improvement. (MSE)

A music education course for teachers was taught by telephone to 36 students in 16 University of Wisconsin listening centers throughout the state. Problems of sound fidelity and student reticence to interact were resolved without difficulty, and the second course offering included contributions by guest speakers from their homes. (MSE)

Describes the organization and purpose of the National and World Affairs Division of the National University Extension Association (NUEA) and discusses the need for public policy programing in continuing education. Proposes debate in the NUEA and its member organizations on the subject of members' role in such a policy. (MF)