LoColms： an innovative approach of enhancing traditional classroom form of education by promoting web-based distance learning in the poorer countries

There have been numerous attempts recently to promote technology based education (Shrestha, 1997) in the poorer third world countries, but so far all these have not provided a sustainable solution as they are either centered and controlled from abroad and relying solely on foreign donors for their sustenance or they are not web-based, which make distribution problematic, and some are not affordable by most of the local population in these places. In this paper we discuss an application, the Local College Learning Management System (LoColms) , which we are developing, that is both sustainable and economical to suit the situation inthese countries. The application is a web-based system, and aims at improving the traditional form of education by empowering the local universities. Its economicability comes from the fact that it is supported by traditional communication technology, the public switching telephone network system, PSTN, which eliminates the need for packet switched or dedicated private virtual networks (PVN) usually required in similar situations. At a later stage, we shall incorporate ontology and paging tools to improve resource sharability and storage optimization in the Proxy Caches (ProCa) and LoColms servers. The system is based on the client/server paradigm and its infrastructure consists of the PSTN, ProCa, with the learning centers accessing the universities by means of point-to-point protocol (PPP) .

澳大利亚远程教育研究30年里程——基于《Distance Education》杂志的视角

本文以澳大利亚《远程教育》杂志的创刊主编和前任主编伊安.米歇尔(Ian McD Mitchell)[1]等人对杂志创刊30周年历史回顾为基础,展现了杂志创办的历史,同时以杂志自身的发展为主线,间接勾勒了澳大利亚远程教育学术研究历史的主要图景。既充分展示了澳大利亚《远程教育》杂志发展历程,又从侧面揭示了专业、协会、杂志、学术会议这几者之间是如何良性互动推动远程教育事业发展的,而刊物创办人那种富有魄力、踏实进取的精神也会激发每一个热爱远程教育事业的同路人。

Evaluation of Technical Education by Using a Modern Structured MOODLE Laboratory Course, in Relation to Recent Data

E-learning platforms support education systems worldwide, transferring theoretical knowledge as well as soft skills. In the present study high-school pupils’, and adult students’ opinions were evaluated through a modern structured MOODLE interactive course, designed for the needs of the laboratory course “Automotive Systems”. The study concerns Greek secondary vocational education pupils aged 18 and vocational training adult students aged 20 to 50 years. The multistage, equal size simple random cluster sample was used as a sampling method. Pupils and adult students of each cluster completed structured 10-question questionnaires both before and after attending the course. A total of 120 questionnaires were collected. In general, our findings disclosed that the majority of pupils and adult students had significantly improved their knowledge and skills from using MOODLE. They reported strengthening conventional teaching, using the new MOODLE technology. The satisfaction indices improved quite, with the differences in their mean values being statistically significant.

All-round Translation Teaching Approach Suitable for Adult Learners of the Open Distance Education

Through the analysis of the characteristics of the adult students in the open distance education and on the basis of constructivism,the researcher tentatively proposed an All-round Translation Teaching Approach under the guidance of the theories of constructivism in order to improve translation teaching of the open distance education.

The Application of Modern Distance Education in Teaching and Learning

This paper makes an Introduction of the advantages and the foreground of Distance Education developing in China,and also some problems we are facing. At last, it gives out a solution of Network Education Application in college English teaching. With the development of Internet and information technology, the intercourses between human beings are becoming more and more convenient. Distance education have appeared in educational area, which has greatly promoted the development of education. As a totally new mode of educating, distance education has improved the quality and efficiency of teaching. Moreover, it accelerated the development of social and lifelong education. The development of distance education is hard, but it has a brilliant future.

Distance education and correspondence course in India A report on a visit to Kurukshetra University Devi Ahilya and Kota Open University

with the introduction of the different operating management between distance and correspondence course in Kurukshetra University, Devi Ahilya University and Kota University in India, the author show us that this paper will enhance our knowledge about Indian adult education in which we can use for reference.

Using distance education in teaching orthotic fabrication to occupational therapy students

Occupational therapy (OT) education requires educators to provide students with entry level skills in orthotic fabrication. These skills have been taught in a traditional face-to-face classroom and labs. The concept of distance education (DE) has evolved over the years with the advancement of the technology. DE started with print media, radio broadcasting, and progressed to utilizing video conferencing. Currently DE relies heavily on using the internet to deliver quality, cost-effective and convenient education. DE Literature focused on teaching basic knowledge, however, no research was found that compared DE to traditional education in teaching skills or the application of knowledge. This pilot study investigated the effectiveness of using DE pedagogy in teaching OT students the skills of splint making, and to compare effectiveness of DE to that of traditional classroom. Forty OT students participated in the study, they self-selected to be in the experimental, or control group. The experimental group received training on splint making via the Blackboard?, while the control group received similar training the traditional way. The quality of splints was evaluated;Mann-Whitney concluded that the difference between the means of the two groups was no significant, indicating that the quality of the splints were equivalent.

Application of Weighted Average Method in Evaluation System for Rural Cadre Distance Education

We elaborate the application method,process and effect of weighted average method in the examination and evaluation system for modern distance education of rural party members and cadres.The study shows that this method reflects the evaluation results objectively and comprehensively and plays a remarkable role in establishing and improving the examination and evaluation system,thus will have an important reference value for the development of modern distance education of rural party members and cadres in the future.

Is Distance Education the Answer to the Nursing Shortage?

This study examined the effectiveness of distance education compared with campus based learning among nursing students. Distance education in nursing curricula is increasing. Academic nurse leaders must demonstrate the effectiveness of distance learning. This study is unique in that two cohorts, distance learners and campus learners, were taught synchronously by the same faculty member. Quantitative measures of student learning outcomes were compared using SPSS. There were no significant differences in learning outcomes between distance learners and campus learners. This study provides empiric support for distance education as a means to address the nursing shortage.

A QoE Assessment System in Distance Education

It is a challenging task to improve the real-time property and objectivity of the effect assessment for the distance education. This paper presents a QoE (Quality of Experience) assessment system based on the attention of online user. The system captures the video frames from two cameras periodically and synchronously, using the adaptive image binarization based on the linear average threshold for the pretreatment, then processing with edge detection and filtering in the cross-directions at the same time. System gets the position of computer screen and user eyeball. Analyzing the detection results comprehensively obtains the attention of online user by some judging conditions, and finally acquires the quality of user experience. Experimental results demonstrate the feasibility and efficiency.

Digital Knowledge Resources Sharing Through Online Distance Education Course

Since the electronic resources and Internet Web sites became popular, distance education courses offered via the Internet could play an important role in providing global digital resources and teaching the knowledge of international library and information standards for bibliographic databases with electronic and web resources.This paper uses the example of the author's new online course: ILS 608 Cataloging and Development of a Digital Union Catalog for Ancient Chinese Books to demonstrate the global re...

A Culturally-Sensitive Model for CME Distance Learning Demonstratesa Way Forward： Kenya＇s Experience with ACME-IT （Advancing Continuing Medical Education Through Information Technology）

A distance learning Continuing Medical Education （CME） project based on live interactive presentations and a group participatory model demonstrated that important strides can be made in the quality of CME available to health care professionals in African rural settings. Implementers choose a communication model consistent with the fundamental orality of Kenyan and other sub-Saharan African countries. The project involved four hospitals and one training institution in rural Kenya. The testing of learners and focus group discussions with learners, facilitators and presenters indicated that the project＇s methodologies, that strove to be culturally and work place friendly, contributed to gains in knowledge, competencies including case management, the continuity of patient care, team work, staff morale and other issues of expressed importance to the hospital healthcare work force and hospital administrators. The learning system, known as Advancing Continuing Medical Education through Information Technology （ACME-IT）, was implemented by the Kenyan Ministry of Medical Services, EC Associates and the US-funded Aphia2 Western initiative implemented by PATH. The findings of this pilot suggests that the ACME-IT methodology that set up learning centers at the participating institutions is a promising viable alternative to the traditional and relatively expensive workshop training that characterizes much of CME in lower and middle income countries.

English Needs＂ EL Programme for Distance Education Learners

This paper will discuss the findings of students＇ needs for an EL （English language） programme at the SDE （School of Distance Education）, USM （Universiti Sains Malaysia）, Penang. English is offered as a compulsory subject for all its students since the School＇s inception in 1971, and the subject has not moved beyond that status quo. However, in the new millennium, with USM having been selected as a research university with an apex status, the expectation of its stakeholders has increased. SDE needs to keep abreast with what is on and what is up in distance education teaching and learning so that its programmes remain relevant. It cannot remain complacent with its present courses Taking into consideration the current needs of its stakeholders within the realm of distance teaching and learning, the researchers carried out a research on the need for an EL programme. Findings show that the students agree that an English programme will help them improve their language and their upward mobility. Majority of the students will sign up for the course if it is offered. This research will provide insights for curriculum developers and lecturers at the SDE to design a new English programme tailored towards meeting the needs of their adult students

The Comparison of Ten Biggest Distance Education Institutions in the World

The 1995 International Council of Distance Education（ICDE）In Blrmingham，Britain selected ten（llstance education mstltutlons with an enrollment of over 100，000Inthe world． Theyrespectively belong to China，阶ance，India，Indonesia，

Inspiration from Comparative Study of Distance-education Learning Support Services of China and UK

The theory and practice of OUUK learning support service has been widely praised, from the study of composition and dominantof OUUK learning support service system, and as Jiangyin Open Studying center, Wuxi, Jiangsu example, in-depth investigation and analysis ofthe present situation of China＇s distance-education learning support services, explore the reference value of the successful experience of OUUKand inspiration to the distance education in China.

Accreditation System of Distance Higher Education in the U.S. and Its Implications for China

Distance higher education is an important component of the Chinese higher education.How to enhance the quality of distance higher education is one of the key issues to be addressed in the research areas of distance education and higher education.As a crucial step to quality improvement,the constitution of accreditation system in distance higher education balances the benefits of all parties involved.This paper explores the American accreditation system of higher education and distance education and concludes with suggestions for the constitution of the Chinese quality assurance system:1)establishing third-party institutions to share part of the government roles;2)constituting the accreditation system;3)setting up appropriate standards;4)publicizing results of quality assurance work;and 5)building internal quality assurance mechanism.This paper is aimed to provide some reference to the constitution of accreditation system of distance higher education in China,facilitate the solution of quality problems in distance education,and promote the continuous improvement and development of distance education in China.

Design and Implementation of the Dance Teaching Live Broadcasting System Based on the Distance Education Platform

With the rapid development of the modem information technologies,to promote the education informatization and share the educational and teaching resources,the live classroom in the distance education emerges as the times require.The live classroom expands the space-time boundaries in our education and teaching,and changes the traditional teaching methods.It is a new model of the distance education.In order to recognize and understand the impact of the live teaching on the dance teaching and promote the development of the live teaching in the dance education,this paper,from the perspective of the distance education,uses the theories and methods of the distance education to analyze the characteristics of the live teaching,which is a feasible way.

Proposal for Design and Application of Business Intelligence as a Decision Support System to the Editorial Sector of Distance Education （DE）

In recent years, industrial and service organizations have invested in improvement projects with emphasis on increasing the performance of processes regarding to the production of manufactured goods and services, applying techniques to optimize production time in order to minimize the restrictive effects of the funds invested in processing or obtaining processes in order to reduce the losses of general scope. This paper discusses the impact of the innovation in making use of business intelligence （BI） concepts about production records of a publishing area in a higher education institution （HEI） that promotes distance education （DE） in Brazil, helping the industry in their managements decisions, having a target minimize time on production of learning material through more effective control with the use of cubes in the form of reports for metric queries of delivery delays and metrics on the production tasks financial values, and filtering the processed information so that managers can view information from various angles and managerial perspectives. The objectives of this paper are to demonstrate the impact on using BI concepts in the process of an editorial department of a HEI focusing on the development of teaching materials for the courses of DE and identify the financial cost-benefit ratio for the HEI with the deploying BI in a software fee platform in its publishing department. The sector is responsible by in courseware publishing organizations that usually do not have systems with this emphasis： support on making managerial decisions.

Development of Distance Education in China

The advancement of human society and the development of economy and modern science and technologyhas shortenedthedlstancebetween us and confronted us with chilllenges and probkinB Ofthlltllallty Of Wb1Ch