Describes the problems and successes encountered in the use of an interactive video system for library instruction. Successes include reductions in staff time and favorable student reactions. Problems were related to the use of videotape recordings, the use of floppy disks, overloading at the end of the quarter, and the need for frequent updates.…

The Schools Year 12 and Tertiary Entrance Certificate (STC) course, an alternative to the traditional pathway chosen by Australian secondary school students wishing to proceed to higher education, is described. Results of a survey comparing students taking the traditional pathway and students taking the STC course are discussed. (MLW)

Reports on three studies of the learning strategies of adult students of second languages. The research identified two distinct approaches to vocabulary learning that differed in aspects relating to independent study, self-initiated learning activities, recording of lexical items studied, review of these records, and practice of vocabulary outside…

Examines results from a comparative study of the strategies of distance and classroom foreign language learners (French, German, Japanese, and Chinese) enrolled in a dual-mode institution. Data on strategy use was collected through a questionnaire and the yoked subject technique. Results indicate that mode of study is the predominant influence on…

A model higher education in-service project in Louisiana, called Success and Certification for Special Education Starters, has been implemented to support and assist first-year special education teachers and noncertified special education teachers. The project is based on a faculty consultation and supervision model where students earn university…

The challenge of bringing information literacy to university students is greater than at small colleges. A survey of librarians at large universities revealed unique problems and instructional solutions. The Brigham Young University (Utah) program, in which information literacy is integrated into every academic division, offers one example. (MSE)

Describes a study conducted at the University of Ulster (Northern Ireland) that investigated the use of videoconferencing in postgraduate continuing education courses for teachers, both for on-campus and off-campus course delivery. Face-to-face contact with tutors, group cohesiveness and independent learning, and tutor support are discussed.…

Provides an overview of inservice teacher training programs in Japan, which have few links to formal distance education programs. Teachers' growing use of computer communications networks is reviewed as a self-teaching method, and future directions are suggested. (Contains nine references.) (EAM)

Unit accreditation is presented as a form of assessment that motivates students and gives insight into the learning process. Units of accreditation are programs of work written as discrete modules that students complete for curriculum credit. Two case studies illustrate the development of unit accreditation. (SLD)

Programs designed to enable Australian aborigines who had not successfully completed high school to qualify for science- and mathematics-related courses in higher education emphasize diagnostic testing, individualized instruction, short-term goals, and learner independence. Tutors have instructional, management, and support roles. Some early…

Entry-level skills needed of optometrists, as of allied health occupations practitioners, include thinking skills, communication skills, sensitivity to personal and professional values and ethics, awareness of self and individual social responsibility, lifelong learning skills and habits, interpersonal and group competence, and management…

A study investigated the attitudes of 35 graduate nursing students toward the self-directed learning incorporated into a problem-based curriculum at an Australian university. Results show substantial and highly significant increases in student perceptions of themselves as self-directed learners and in perceptions of the value of self-directed…

Sixty-seven female elementary education preservice teachers participated in a cognitive self-instructional procedure aimed at eliminating or reducing negative emotions related to student teaching by altering their self-talk. The training program significantly reduced subjects' anxiety about teaching. (SLD)

The use of interactive computer-based simulation of cases of chronic orofacial pain and temporomandibular joint disfunction patients for clinical dental education is described. Its application as a voluntary study aid in a third-year dental course is evaluated for effectiveness and for time factors in case completion. (MSE)

In New Hampshire, a field-based competency-based program of independent study allows rural teachers to earn special education certificates. This Pool Expansion Plan (PEP) involves individualized assessment and training under the supervision of experienced mentors. Employer follow-up indicates a high degree of satisfaction with the competencies of…