THIS IS PART ONE OF A STUDY WHICH DEALT WITH SOME ASPECTS OF THE STRATEGY AND MOTIVATION OF ADULTS FOR EARNING COLLEGE CREDITS BY ENROLLING IN COURSES OFFERED BY THE COLLEGE OF GENERAL STUDIES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA. THE STUDY INVESTIGATED THE USE OF TELEVISION AS A MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION. THE RESEARCH INSTRUMENT WAS A 28-ITEM QUESTIONNAIRE COVERING A RANGE OF SOCIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS, REASONS FOR SEEKING CREDITS OR DEGREES, PRIOR COLLEGE EDUCATION, AMOUNT OF COLLEGE EDUCATION OF SPOUSE AND FRIENDS, PREFERENCES FOR ON-CAMPUS OR TELEVISED COURSES, AND DISTANCE OF RESIDENCE FROM THE CAMPUS. THIS QUESTIONNAIRE WAS MAILED TO APPROXIMATELY 250 ADULTS WHO HAD ENROLLED FOR TELECAST COURSES. A PARALLEL-ITEM QUESTIONNAIRE WAS PREPARED FOR ADULTS ENROLLED IN ON-CAMPUS COURSES. DATA FROM THESE QUESTIONNAIRES WERE ANALYZED. THEORETICAL ASPECTS OF RESPONSES CLASSIFIED AS REACTIVE BEHAVIOR AND GENERAL CONCLUSIONS DRAWN FROM THE STUDY ARE DISCUSSED IN PART TWO OF THIS STUDY (ED 003 188). (WB)