Is the money allocated to institutional distance education getting the results on the back end in terms of student achievement? A literature review of cost analysis studies on distance education is presented with three themes factored out from those studies: Costs (Institutional and student costs), Reach, and Richness (cost to the student). A…

Instructors teaching in the online classroom are faced with the unique challenge of creating a personalized relationship in a virtual environment that lacks the traditional outlets for establishing an informal connection with students. While there are various means of facilitating the online student-teacher relationship, faculty Web pages are…

Online learning through virtual schools is one of the most important advancements in attempting to rethink the effectiveness of education in the United States. The virtual school provides access to online, collaborative and self-paced learning environments--settings that can facilitate 21st Century skills. Today's students must be able to combine…

The present study reports results of an experiment with two groups of sophomore students majoring in translation. The control group was taught British culture using in-class instruction only, and the experimental group was taught using a combination of online and in-class instruction. Experimental students used the online course from home as the…

In the 1900s, distance education attempted to mimic the traditional classroom lecture via the transmission of live or "canned" broadcasts, regardless of the technologies used: satellite, television, film, or radio. These kinds of media predisposed distance education (DE) to closely adhere to the lecture (sit and absorb) model, where…

A five-year U.S. Department of Education Technology Innovation Challenge Grant, the NatureShift! Linking Learning to Life project was awarded in 1997 to the partnership of Dakota Science Center and the Grand Forks Public Schools (North Dakota). It was designed with partners from the Sahnish Cultural Society and the University of North Dakota to…

This study researched whether or not Hispanic students, in spite of the digital divide, were enrolling in and succeeding at online courses. The Census Bureau projects that Hispanics will compose 25% of the United States population by the year 2050. Although the Hispanic population in Bergen County, New Jersey is only 10%, during the fall semester…

This paper examines two cohorts of students, each engaged in an undergraduate management course, but using different means of engagement. One cohort of 90 students completed a real time learning program integrating group dynamics, action research, team performance, and participative decision-making. A second cohort of 171 students completed the…

As learning technologies increasingly facilitate the internationalization of subject offerings, it becomes correspondingly important to try and ensure that the needs of diverse student groups are met and to provide for ongoing improvement of their learning experiences. A variety of evaluation procedures are valuable in this respect, particularly…

This paper reflects on changes sought in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Melbourne (Australia) as a way to encourage greater involvement with online technologies. Specifically, the paper looks at staff development as a central component to changes, maps out where the faculty has gone, and takes a brief look at where it is headed. An…

The Mekong e-Sim involved more than 140 students across Australia and overseas participating in an online roleplay-simulation over a four-week period. Set in the Mekong region of South East Asia, it allowed for debates over development issues arising from clear-cut differences and conflicts in values and interests. The geography and engineering…

The purpose of the study was to gain a comprehensive understanding of the experiences of graduate students and faculty members at on-campus and remote sites in courses delivered using Web-based course management courseware and video conference-based (TTVN) delivery methods. The study examined the differences among distance learning and traditional…

This book presents a framework and specific techniques to help prepare instructors for teaching online at any level-middle school, high school, college, or the workplace. The book provides general guidelines, conceptual analysis, and practical tips about instructional practice online. Whether used by neophyte or experienced Web users, this book…

According to this paper, distance education exists as a means to provide access to students who might otherwise not participate in higher education due to any number of constraints, whether internal or external. Sinclair Community College is an urban, commuter college located in Dayton, Ohio. It has a fall headcount of roughly 20,000 students,…

This paper focuses on the design of an assessment plan that can accurately measure the impact of using World Wide Web-based deliveries to increase performance. Key trends in technology and training are reviewed, and effective assessment of online training deliveries is examined. The Virtual Business Training Center (VBTC) is an integrated business…