Many institutions regularly conduct surveys of students. In some cases these provide descriptive statistics about students' actual use of course components and the descriptive statistics are discussed using ordinary language. A number of refinements to these surveys are proposed. It is argued that mathematical modeling as used in the discipline of…

A study of 14 Open University (Great Britain) undergraduate courses examined tutor marked assignment (TMA) rates as a reliable early indicator of student retention. This article reviews the effectiveness of course-related evaluation strategies (standard, evaluator-initiated; specific, client-initiated; quantitative; and qualitative) and argues the…

Discussion of the nature of professional development in distance education conceptualizes the different forms that professional development can take and then focuses on developer-led learning. Highlights include social interaction; knowledge advantages and knowledge deficits; conflicting values; organizational struggles; and experiences at the…

Analyzes student progress within the framework of models of choice based on experiences at the Open University (United Kingdom). Investigates why students choose to continue studying in light of their success or failure in previous study and suggests that mathematical models need to be further developed to assist in this field. (Author/LRW)