The Use of Sound Cassettes in the French Systems of Higher Education at a Distance

Abstract

Among the many distance education systems in France, one is the oldest in the world in higher education. Back in 1963, the first system was created as an extension to the five universities to which they belonged and others were created year after year so that there are now 22 such systems, called Centres de Télé‐Enseignement Universitaire (CTU).

At first they made use of correspondence, books and radio, and later they adopted sound cassettes, thus becoming the first multi‐media systems in the field. Still later, other media such as TV, computer software and courseware, and telematics were added, but sound cassettes remain one of the basic tools. Accordingly I have decided to devote this article to them.     

Effectiveness of Four Track Starting Positions on Acceleration

Abstract

Four sprint starting positions—the bunch, medium, elongated, and hyperextended—were compared on mean elapsed times at distances of 10 and 30 yd. Averages of three starts for each of 30 inexperienced college undergraduate males on each type of start were derived from electronically-controlled measures, the times for both distances being recorded from the same start. Statistical analyses indicated significantly lower elapsed times with the hyperextended starting position.     

The Film as a source of History

In order to gain clarity about historical facts the historian requires as wide and as varied a range of informative documents as possible. These documentary sources include all texts, objects or facts, from which knowledge of the past can be gained; texts such as annals, chronicles, letters, reports, certificates; things like relics, buildings, ruins, primers, stone axes; and facts or conditions still in existence based on historical premises.     

Building a Beowulf: Leveraging Research and Department Needs for Student Enrichment via Project Based Learning

In the fall 2000 a need for an inexpensive cutting edge computation facility provided an opportunity to explore the use of department needs as a real world problem in a classroom settings. The results of the class would benefit the department's research goals. Provide a practical student experience with a cutting edge real world problem, and an educational opportunity for the instructor. The successes and pitfalls of our two semester adventure of placing the students in real world scenario to design, buy, and build a Beowulf cluster from scratch is described. Teaching techniques such as project based learning as well as tips for Beowulf construction are detailed.