Our pervasive adoption of CMC in higher education has far outpaced our understanding of the nature of CMC and, accordingly, how this medium should best be used to promote higher-order learning (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, "American Journal of Distance Education," 15 (1), 7-23, 2001). Therefore, this study examined the relationship between peer…

An online survey was conducted of students, instructors, and researchers in distance education regarding principles for the ethical treatment of human research subjects. The study used an online questionnaire based on principles drawn from Canada's "Tri-Council Policy Statement, Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans" (TCPS, 2003), which…

A survey of University of New England academic staff was conducted to determine their perceptions of external teaching as part of a larger study to ascertain staff attitudes toward their effectiveness as teachers. Responses related to demands, enjoyment, and benefits of external and internal teaching, and student characteristics are discussed.…

Describes a study of on-campus and external university students' perceptions of factors influencing external studies. Students identified family, job, and life circumstances as major influences; self-reliance and finances as advantages; limited library access as a disadvantage; and a preference for on-campus study or a combination of both.…

Describes a study of differences in reported symptoms of psychological well-being and academic attainment among United Kingdom Open University distance learners aged under 30, 30-40, and over 40. Results indicate several factors combine to affect academic performance of different age groups, but students over 40 exhibited greater sense of…

Describes a process-tracing study which investigated study approaches adopted by four distance learners enrolled in the Bachelor of Education Program at James Cook University and their mental processes when learning from distance-teaching materials in order to identify textual features which activated mental processes for use in textual design.…

Promotes the advantages of qualitative research methodologies in distance education; outlines the work of Ference, Marton, and the Gothenberg Group and discusses how this work has related to research with distance education; and describes some insights into how students learn which can be gained through qualitative methodologies. (MBR)

Describes a study undertaken to continue work that has been done on the relationship between course completion and telephone tutoring in distance education. Results indicate a statistically significant positive, although modest, relationship does exist; correlation is greater in adult basic education and career technical vocational programs than…

Argues research investigating distance education drop-out problems hasn't been based on comprehensive theoretical models; suggests Spady, Tinto, and Boshier's theoretical models are relevant to such research, since they reflect importance of exploring aptitude-treatment interactions in investigating drop-out problems; and proposes that the…

Describes development and operation of the University of Missouri's Center for Independent Study; its implementation and use of online computer assisted instruction; and a study comparing student attitudes toward online computer assisted instruction and correspondence courses. (MBR)

Explores the possibility of expanding the research base in distance education through the use of three well-known and accepted qualitative methodologies used by anthropology and sociology: ethnography, case study, and grounded theory. Each methodology's characteristics and main strengths are described. (MBR)

Describes a survey of 356 adult students enrolled in university-level courses at the Open Learning Institute which was conducted to assess the predictive validity of Tinto's theoretical model of student dropout. It was found that, overall, the Tinto model appears to be a useful framework for such investigations. (Author/LRW)

Describes and evaluates a project which used electronic mail in correspondence teaching for geographically isolated elementary level home students. Problems with equipment used for communication--videotex, facsimile, computers, and telephones--are discussed together with reasons for the generally successful outcome of the project. Sample materials…

Summarizes differences between face-to-face and distance learners at Fernuniversitat (West Germany) in terms of demographics, motivation, study conditions, and personal consequences, in order to provide some empirically derived insights into the psychological consequences of distance learning for learners. (MBR)

Describes a study which examined relationships between academic persistence and turn-around time, feedback interval, and contacts between student and institution beyond assignment submissions at Allama Iqbal Open University, Darling Downs Institute of Advanced Education, Open Learning Institute of British Columbia, Tasmanian State Institute of…