Enhancing the learning environment for distance education students

This paper reports on the development of an asynchronous learning  environment for the teaching of introductory macroeconomics to    approximately 200 distance education students. The research supports evidence in the current literature that computer mediated communication and in particular, collaborative learning, can make a positive difference to the educational experience of some students. These findings are based on both quantitative and qualitative data gained from student evaluations,  participation levels, staff interviews and an analysis of the online communication. The discussion centres on the extent of collaboration, the role of assessment, adaptation of curriculum and pedagogy and the students' attitudes to economics.

The history of distance education in Australia

This article presents a history of distance education in Australia. Australia's large distances and widely distributed population has meant that distance education has been an important part of its history. From the earliest provision of schooling by mail through a series of correspondence schools, both state and federal governments have provided a sound infrastructure to support distance education. Innovative uses of technologies to provide communication and interaction and ease the isolation of distance have also been a feature of Australia's distance education history. The impact of this history is particularly relevant as the Internet and information and communication technologies are changing this field and making distance educators of all institutions and sectors.

Changing times in research? A speculative analysis of refereed contributions to distance education journal from 1980 to 2003

The paper observes a number of possible changes impacting on the field of distance education research and suggests that these are likely to have lead to an increasing interest in research on computer-based instructional design and delivery, and a concomitant decrease in interest in other areas of distance education research. A fairly simple analysis of contributions to Distance Education since 1980 bears out the suggestion. Some opportunities and some threats to distance education as a field are discussed as a consequence of the analysis.

Breaking the boundaries : improving the assessibility, extent and responsiveness of support services for distance education students

Massey University, in common with other tertiary distance education providers, faces the challenge of improving the accessibility, extent and responsiveness of the support services it provides to extramural students. In particular, the university is challenged by the need to develop and deliver support services responsive to the changing needs of an increasingly diverse student population. This paper outlines the key findings of a comprehensive review of Massey’s support policy and services for extramural students. It describes how the review findings, and material from the body of literature on the provision of support for distance students, were used to inform the development of a new support policy for extramural students. How this policy is being made operational in practice, through the design, development and implementation of an extensive range of new student support services, including a range of services provided online, is outlined. A summary of progress made so far is provided. The paper concludes with some guidelines that may be useful in informing the practice of colleagues working to break the boundaries to student participation in support services.