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This project had three goals: (1) to seek out the policies and practices currently in place to prepare academic teaching staff to develop, write, and teach in distance education; (2) to identify effective professional preparation and staff development practices for distance education currently in use in Australian postsecondary institutions; and (3) to provide some conclusions and recommendations concerning professional preparation and staff development activities that might help to improve future distance education practice. The first of four sections of the report describes the aims and methodology of the project, and the second reviews the relevant literature on professional preparation and staff development in distance education. Section three presents case study information about the institutions surveyed for the study, including subsections on policies and priorities, professional development practices, and ongoing professional development. The fourth section presents conclusions and recommendations in the areas of policy, responsibility and communication, resources, selection of appropriate staff, induction programs, ongoing professional development, institutional collaboration, and evaluation of staff development methods. Four appendixes include copies of the survey instruments, and four tables of data are provided. (113 references) (GL)

An instructional television program was designed to instruct 80 special education teachers in how to select curriculum packages. The program was tested to see whether 90% of the learners attained 90% of the highest possible score on questions based upon program objectives. Further, the effectiveness of the program was compared with that of a printed article that contained comparable information. Results indicated that: (1) 90% of the participants who viewed the television program learned 72% of the content and 60% learned 90% of the content which is to say that the "90/90" goal was not attained; (2) participants who viewed the television program learned significantly more than those who did not; and (3) participants who not only viewed the television program but also read the printed article did not learn significantly more than the participants who only viewed the television program. (Author/SBH)

The ABE/LD-TV (Or LIT-TV) program consists of three color television films and a handbook; its need was shown by an assessment of adult basic education (ABE) programs throughout Indiana which revealed that the majority of adult education workers had unclear and conflicting ideas about learning disabilities in adults. Throughout the development and production stages of the materials there was constant and intensive formative evaluation, including expert appraisal before shooting, storyboarding of films at various stages of development, expert reappraisal of refined materials, and a field evaluation of both completed storyboards and the total prototype instructional materials. The materials were evaluated for visual attractiveness, freshness and originality of approach, appeal to adults, and the degree to which they assumed a high level of motivation among the audience. In the dissemination phase of the project, LIT-TV workshops were conducted with literacy volunteers, ABE educators, and librarians from around the state, and the materials were made available to local workshops statewide. Evaluation results indicate that responses to this program from participants has been favorable. (Appendixes constitute more than half of the document and include materials related to program background, target populations, needs analysis, design, development and production, information dissemination, and evaluation.) (DF)

This project investigated policy statements, training given to academic staff, and the reward structure and career path for academics in distance education among four major providers of distance education in Australasia. Seventy academic staff members from two universities and two colleges were interviewed and asked to complete a questionnaire. The major findings were: (1) most distance education institutions did not have a clear statement of policy, as perceived by their staff, on how to fulfill their roles as major distance education providers; (2) the institutions did not offer training for academic staff in the necessary skills for distance education; and (3) the institutions did not have a reward structure and career path for academics teaching in distance education. Nonetheless, it was found that, while distance education is perceived by practitioners to be on the periphery of higher education, it does flourish. To those involved in it, distance education has a vigor which is drawing them towards a new paradigm of teaching and learning. (4 references) (Author/GL)

Focusing on the role of the educational developer, the 19 essays in this collection provide a forum for educational developer practitioners: (1) to share their practices and insights; (2) to explore what it means to be an educational developer and instructional designer, and to give some philosophical reflection of the role; and (3) to clarify the professional role and explore the distinction between the educational developer and instructional designer. Individual papers discuss what it means in practice to be an instructional developer or designer, highlight the literature and theories underpinning their development activities, and give examples of research already undertaken and appropriate for the future. The intended audience is threefold: professional developers; those new to the field; and academic colleagues of instructional developers. (SD)

A study was conducted to examine the relationships of four areas of textual design factors that are relevant to external students' learning as they use their course study guides: the micro and macro textual features, the linguistics, and the instructional design elements. Twelve external students from two units at the Gippsland Institute were observed in real time using a Study Protocol Recorder (SPR). They completed the Lancaster Approaches to Studying Inventory and the Biggs Study Process Questionnaire and were interviewed in a debriefing session. It was found that students valued and were aided by access structures, i.e., devices which gave them access to the author's argument, enabling them to gain an overview of the text and to locate the key elements of the subject. Although few used the terms "access structures" or "advance organizers" to describe these devices, they did mention the assistance given by tables of contents, objectives, headings, introductory chapters, selective sampling, and summarizing. This led to the conclusion that access structures are of greater help in studying than legibility features. The further conclusion was that the use of unambiguous and logical language, with appropriate sentence and paragraph sequences, can compensate for inadequate typographic signalling; and that headings, illustrations, and photographs that are not directly relevant can annoy those who seek connections between all elements of the textual presentation. The ideal is for a blend of all four levels of textual elements to aid the external student in using course study guides, so that resources invested in improving textual design will aid both deep and surface learners. Two questionnaires are appended. (68 references and 6 tables) (Author/GL)

This study examined students' experiences of external study at Gippsland Institute through the method of student self-report study diaries. Questions which were addressed include: (1) Why are external students taking courses at Gippsland? (2) What do they hope to gain? (3) How do they handle particular study guides and assignment materials? (4) What is the nature of the social context in which external study occurs? and (5) Overall, how do students perceive their external study experience? The distribution between an intrinsic vocational orientation (i.e., related to career interests) and an extrinsic vocational orientation (i.e., obtaining qualifications for the specific goal of gaining employment) was clearly visible in student diaries. Very few instances of academic orientation occurred. A range of personal orientations to study resulted; while some students are primarily focused towards personal development and change, others have a more extrinsic orientation. Some students wanted mainly to prove their capability for higher education after leaving high school at an early age. Two approaches to studying emerged from the data: while most diaries indicated a focus on reproducing and memorizing information, some suggested an attempt to gain understanding and go beyond the information presented and focus on constructing meaning. Almost all of the diaries made reference to "finding time" for study in the face of completing work, domestic, and social commitments. The diaries show a very traditional gender division of labor within the family. For women students especially, external study demands some reconstruction of the social structure in the family and domestic setting. (GL)