The World of Distance Learning Virtual Summer School In August and September 1994, the Open University of the United Kingdom organised a V i r t u a l S u m m e r School (V S S) for its u n d e r g r a d u a t e c o u r s e D309 Cognitive Psychology. Using a computer and modem, students were able to participate from their own homes, to contribute to group discussions, run experiments, obtain one-to-one tuition, listen to lectures, a s k q u e stions, act as subjects in e x p e r i m e n t s , conduct literature searches, browse original journal publications, work in project teams, undertake statistical analyses, submit individual or joint work, and socialise. In brief, students were able to participate in a residential summer school without physical attendance. With respect to the technology used, there were three main categories: communications and group work tools, support and infrastructure software/ha rdware, and academic project software. T he last included a custom-built 'Word Presentation Program' which allowed students to create stimuli for presentation to others and automatically :record reaction times and button presses; a HyperCard-based statistics package; MacProlog for writing artificial intelligence and c o g n i t i v e s i m u l a t i o n p r o g r a m m e s ; and ClarisWorks f o r preparing r e p o r t s and presentations, reading articles and doing richer data analyses. Students had a three-week warm-up period in o r d e r to b e c o m e familiar w i t h their new equipment, while formal academic activities t o o k p l a c e o v e r the p e r i o d 27 August-9 September 1994. Results of formal evaluations are still to be published, but four areas present some challenges, namely, the need for greater b a n d w i t h , g r e a t ly improved computer I communcations interfaces, creating larger workgroups, and improving the ability of tutors to reach more students. Internatio.nal Council for Distance Education (ICDE) T h e second a n n u a l m e e t i n g of the I C D E Standing Conference of Open a n d Distance Learning Institutions (ICDE SCOP) took place in Saratoga Springs, USA, in October 1994. A number of major decisions were reached, among them that the ICDE General Secretariat establish working groups and task forces to implement the action agenda developed at the SCOP. For 1995 the following working groups and task forces hav:e been identified: 1 Working group to analyse the changing learning paradigms and the convergence of distance education and traditional education; to share such analyses with SCOP member institutions; and based on such analysis, to develop appropriate programmes of research, development and capacity building for ICDE SCOP member institutions. T he working group is to aim at providing international leadership and guidance in the process of change the educational systems in the world are going through in this period of time. T he working group is to recommend to ICDE action a g e n d a s f o r a c h i e v i n g h i g h international and national impact o f its work, such as publications, senior policy seminars for governments, the education and business communities, as well as symposia and expert round tables in order more effectively to build capacity for change. T he membership of this working group will embrace representatives of ICDE SCOP member i n s t i t u t i o n s , r e s e a r c h e r s , governments and corporations. T he working group will report to the Chair of ICDE SCOP and to the a,nnual meetings of ICDE SCOP. Journal of Distance Learning, Vall, No. 1, 1995 (c) Distance Education Association of New Zealand 39 2 Task Force to develop clear vision statements and criteria concerning the educational uses of technology, and to develop and mai:ntain linkages with corpmate vendors and service providers. 3 Task Forces on International Collaboration, whose purpose is to develop share vision s t a t e m e n t s a n d a c t i o n a g e n d a s on the following critical issues: A N o r t h/South and South/South Collaboration B. Sustainable Development C. International Copyright Policy D. Encourage and facilitate International Interinstitutional Partnerships E. N e t w o r k i n g of presidents and chief executive o f f i c e r s o f SCOP member institutions 4 T a s k F o r c e to develop a programme of activities which will benefit school level and vocational education institutions using, or p l a n n i n g to u s e , a m o n g t h e i r d e l i v e r y m e t h o d s o p e n a n d d i s t a n c e l e a r n i n g m o d a l i t i e s , t h e r e b y b r o a d e n i n g the membership base of ICDE. T his task force should provide a forum for international c o o p e r a t i o n a m o n g schools and school systems in flexible uses of combinations of traditional learning modalities and open and distance learning, and thus provide guidance and capacity building opportunities to the school sector. T h e work of this task force s h o u l d b e l i n k e d to, and take into consideration, the work of particularly Working Group 1 and Task Force 2. As part of its mandate, the working group should recommend to ICDE action agendas for the best possible international impact of its work, such as publications, senior policy seminars for governments, the education and business communities, as well as symposia and expert round tables in order more effectively to help build capacity for change in the school sector. 5 Task Force to develop quality guidelines and practices for open and distance learning internationally. T he above groups are to report to the chair of ICDE SCOP and a shorter meeting of ICDE SCOP in connection with the 17th ICDE World Conference on Open and Distance Learning, 26- 30 June 1995 in Birmingham, United Kingdom and to the full meeting of ICDE SCOP in early 1996. ANDREA: Information on Distance Education in Europe ANDREA is an e-mail based information service on distance education in Europe: it began on 1 September 1994 and is freely open to everyone. ANDREA is an anacronym for' A Network tor Distance Education Reporting on European Activities', and is established by NKI, one of Norway's largest distance teaching institutions, in association, with EDEN (European Distance Education Network). T he aim of ANDREA is to distribute information and stimulate communication been distance educators in Europe. It will also publish short articles and summaries of research reports. To subscribe to ANDREA, send a message to listserv@nki.no with the following text subscribe andrea [your namel. To send information to ANDREA, send as e-mail to andrea@nki .no The TV Open Learning Project 1992- 1993: Australia T he Open and Distance Learning Agency of Australia's ODLAA Times of November 1994 noted the publication of the final evaluation of the T V Open Learning Project. Commissioned by Department of Employment, Education and Training. The report- written by Bruce Keepes, Ken Sinclair; Samuel Ball, Kay Harman and Jennifer Kearns d.s available from the Research Journal of Distance Learning, Vol1, No.1, 1995 (c) Distance Education Association of New Zealand 40 Division, Faculty of Education, University of Sydney, NSW 2006. T he report discusses the T V component which became the Open Learning Initiative (later Open Learning Agency o f Australia). Among other conclusions, the report affirms that TV Opening Learning did increase access to higher education; that the great majority of students found television a 'valuable help in learning'; and that just under half of all students were interested in being assessed. New P ubli cations in Open and Distance Learning Kogan Page and the Institute of Educational T e c h n o l o g y at t h e Open U n i v e r s i t y have combined to produce a series of practical books specifically designed to help all those charged with developing open learning resources and centres, or using open learning materials. T he series includes: Judith Calder: Programme Evaluation and Quality. A Comprehensive Guide To Setting up an Evaluation System. Topics covered in detail include: evaluation- its n a t u r e and p u r p o s e , p r o g r a m m e and curriculum development evaluation at course design, development and presentation stages, and organisational and resource implications. pp. 162, ISBN 0 7494 0847 2, 1994. Robin Mason: Using Communications Media in Open and Flexible Learning. Issues covered include: telecommunications media - what exactly are they? interaction, collaboration and social presence; implications f o r s t u d e n t s , t e a c h e r s and organisations; advantages and disadvantages of each medium; guidelines for education use; future trends. pp. 144, ISBN 0 7494 1149 X, 1994. Terry Evans: Understanding the Learners in Open and Distance Education. Issues covered include: Learners' social and �d u c a t i o n a l b a c k g r o u n d s ; why and how students make decisions t o enrol in their courses; experiences and strategies, coping with the costs of study; learning in gendered worlds; and encounters with those in control. pp. 160, ISBN 0 7494 1235 6, 1994. Derek Rowntree: Preparing Materials for Open, Distance and Flexible Learning. An Action Guide for Teachers and Trainers. Topics covered in detail include profiling your learners, agreeing aims and objectives; deciding content and sequence; developing examples and activities; making materials-user friendly. pp. 128, ISBN 0 7494 1159 7, 1993. Alistair Morgan: Improving Yo u r Students' Learning: Reflections on the Experience of Study. Topics covered include: the student experience - from foundation course to graduation; how students come to be engaged in study; students' conceptions of learning; how students go about their s t u d i e s ; f a c i l i t a t i n g c h a n g e a n d development; t h e organisational context o f learning. pp.144, ISBN 0 7494 0712 3 , 1993. Phil R a c e : T h e O p e n L e a r n i n g Ha n d b o ok. Promoting Quality in Designing and Delivering Flexible Learning. Topics covered include: learning cycles; when to adopt, or adapt, or start from scratch; piloting - the best way of guaranteeing quality; tone and style; choosing and using non-print media; feedback: scores and grades are not enough; and turning lecture notes into interactive handouts. pp. 220, I SBN 0 7494 1 1 09 0, 1994 (Second edition). Open Praxis Open Praxis is the bulletin of the International Council for Distance Education. Recent issues contain short but interesting articles by leading figures in the field of distance education. Volume 2, 1994 contains a series on technology and distance education. Edited on this occasion by Tony Bates (Ex e c u t i v e D i r e c to r, Strategic Planning, Research and Information Technology Joumal of Distance Leaming, Vall, No.1, 1995 (c) Distance Education Association of New Zealand 41 at t h e O p e n L e a r n i n g Agency, in British Columbia), the series includes: Terry Anderson: Using the Internet for distance e d u c a t i o n d e l i v e r y and professional development. Rory McGreal: T e l e - E d u c a t i o n NB: Smart Xingfu Ding: Tony Bates: software sharing in a multi­ point environment. Economic analysis of the Radio and Television Universities in China. Educational multi-media in a networked society. Bates concludes that "In the end, the issue is not technology. We already have more technology than we know how to u s e . W ha t n e w technological developments do, though, is provide us with a much wider range of choice of the kind of education and training we can create. Open Praxis, Volume 1, 1995 focuses on conferences, and especially the forthcoming, ICDE Conference, 'One World, Many Voices', being held in Birmingham, England, 23-30 June, 1995. Each volume of Open Praxis includes a section on Professional Development, the Volume 1, 1995 contribution being e n t i t l e d 'Are w e learning anything a t conference?' Journal of Distance Learning, Vol1, No. 1, 1995 (c) Distance Education Association of New Zealand 42