Developing a university course for online delivery based on learning objects: from ideals to compromises

A course instructor and his assistant at Athabasca University investigated whether the process of transferring interoperable learning objects from online repositories facilitated course production, both pedagogically and economically. They examined the efficiency of the objects‐assembly method from several perspectives while developing an online university course based on learning objects for this, one of Canada's leading online and distance education institutions. The two researchers examined issues that confronted them as they gathered, assessed, repaired, assembled and created learning objects. When their search for suitable objects appeared fruitless, they questioned assumptions made by theoreticians and visionaries about pedagogical and economic efficiencies associated with the objects‐assembly metaphor and production. They highlighted this metaphor's failure to guide their course design based on learning objects in a climate of uncertainty and explained the nature of the compromise that eventually compelled them to acquire a proprietary online delivery system.     

European Media

Leonard W. Doob, ed. "Ewa Pound Speaking" Radio Speeches of World War II (Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1978—$29.95)

L'Informatisation de la societe, by Simon Nora and Alain Minc (Paris: La Documentation francaise, l978—22FF)

La presse francaise by Pierre Albert (Paris: La documentation francaise, 1978 —18FF)

Dossier H....comme Hersant by Dominique Pons (Paris: Alain Moreau, 1977— 35FF)

Le Monde en miniformat (two volumes for 1977) (Paris: Editions France Expansion, 1978—1500FF)

La Correspondance de presse (13 avenue de l'Opéra, 75001 Paris—24FF per issue/ 4750FF per year for the daily)

La television fait-elle l'élection: une analyse comparative—France, Grande-Bretagne, Belgique by J.G. Blumler, R. Cayrol and G. Thoveron (Paris: Presses de la fondation nationale des sciences politiques, 1978—135FF)

La television et son tlublic, 1974-1977 (Paris: La documentation francaise, l978—25FF)

Le village à l'heure de la télé (Paris: Stock, 1978—35FF)

Corsaires des Ondes: Europel, RTL, RMC c Cie by Jean-Emmanuel and Muriel Ray (Paris: Cerf, 1978—39FF)

Les radios libres by Collectif Radios Libres (Paris: Maspero, l978—14FF)

Les chemins de la persuasion: le mode d'influence des media et de la publicité sur les comportements by Jean-Noel Kapferer (Paris: Gauthier-Villars, 1978— 98FF)

Les spectres de la bande: essai sur la BD by Alain Rey (Paris: Editions de Minuit, l978—39FF)

Actuel par Actuel: Chronique d'un journal et de ses lecteurs, 1970-1975 (Paris: Stock, 1977—32 FF)

Cinq monopoles de l'information by Institut national de l'audiovisuel (Paris: INA, Service des relations exterieures, 1977—price not given)

Irish Broadcasting Review (Radio Telefís Eireann, Dublin 4, Ireland—E4.50 in Ireland and UK; E5.50 in Europe and E10.00 in rest of world ($20.00 in USA)/three times per year)

Bibliography of Austrian Mass Communication Literature 1945-1975 prepared by the Department of Mass Communication, University of Salzburg (Verlag Wolfgang Neugebauer, Box 64, A-5033 Salzburg, Austria—AS180.00/DM28.00/US$14.00)

Fernsehen, Program, Pyogrammanalyse: Auswahlbibliographie 1970-1977 (Television, Program, Program Analysis: Selected Bibliography 1970-1977) by Josef Hackforth et al. (Munich: Verlag Dokumentation Saur KG, Poessenbacher Strasse 2, D-8000 Munich 71, 1978—price not given)

Hörfunk and Fernsehen in der DDR (Radio and Television in the German Democratic Republic by Heide Riedel (Literarischer Verlag Braun, Duennwalder Mauspfad 390, D-5000 Cologne, 1977—DM 20.00/US$10.00 approximately)

Massenmedien Spontan. Die Zuschauer Machen Ihr Programm (Spontanious Mass Media: Viewers Produce Their Own Programs) edited by Rudolf Brun (Fischer Taschenbuch Verlag, Geleitsstrasse 25, D-6000 Frankfurt, 1978—DM6.00/US$3.00)

Kabelcommunikation. Organisation and Programme (Cable Communication: Organization and Programs) edited by Ulrich Paetzold (Verlag Oelschlaeger, Amalienstrasse 81, D-8000 Munich 40, 1978—DM25.00/US$12.50)

Tontraeger in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland (Recording Industry in the Federal Republic of Germany) by Werner Zeppenfeld (Bochum: Studienverlag Dr. N. Brockmeyer, 1978—DM35.00/US$17.50)

Handbuch des Presserechts (Handbook of Press Law) by Martin Loeffler and Reinhart Ricker (Beck'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, Wilhelmstrasse 9, D-8000 Munich 40, 1978—DM80.00/US$40.00)     

European Scientific Cooperation and Research Infrastructures: Past Tendencies and Future Prospects

Since the 1960s, Europe has developed adiversified network of agencies and institutesin parallel with the political dynamics of theTreaty of Rome (1957). Recently, the EuropeanCommission has launched a debate about thefuture of European R&D policy. This has, inturn, highlighted the importance of researchinfrastructures in European science. Thispaper discusses the achievements of Europe'smultilateral approach in this domain, andsuggests guidelines for future policy.     

Utilisation conjointe du milieu et des ressources technologiques pour la formation des maîtres

Perusse, P., Décamps, E.A. and Pécot, F. “Utilisation conjointe du milieu et des ressources technologiques pour la formation des maîtres,” Revue ATEE Journal 3(1980)119‐133.

The training of teachers simply must develop. Yet, this development is at times thwarted by the latent conservative attitude of education. The introduction of educational technology, the technical and psychological integration of new teaching practices and more precisely of the latest products of audiovisual research, together with the computerized communications systems could provide the opportunity for that necessary break between the past and the present.

The resulting modification of relationships between those who teach and those who are taught, the new definition of tasks, and more particularly the part given to learners in the training of future teachers will make possible an opening towards the outside world and the coming into existence of a school of responsibility through responsibility. The first experiments show that we still have a long way to go before that aim is achieved.     

DOCTORAL TRAINING IN EUROPE

This article essentially fulfills three tasks, that of giving a rapid and systematic overview of doctoral programmes by country in western Europe, that of describing certain initiatives taken by specific countries with the aim of improving third cycle (doctoral) studies, and that of arguing in favour of the establishment of so‐called European inter‐university doctoral programmes. So far as the first task is concerned, the authors note that all but two of the countries concerned have opted for the so‐called PhD type of doctoral programme rather than for long‐cycle programmes. In the case of the second task, they have given particular attention to efforts made in the Federal Republic of Germany to create separate doctoral level institutions. In the case of the third task, the authors have sketched a networking process by which inter‐university and inter‐disciplinary doctoral programmes are being created in certain specific disciplines, particularly scientific ones. The authors consider that such doctorates hold great potential but that their elaboration is being held up by lack of resources and by difficulties in finding, matching, and linking partners.     

An alternative conceptual framework from chemistry education

Today's scientific and technological communication stakes are such that we can no longer be content with merely asking ourselves whether they are giving a faithful or a distorted image of the results of scientific activity, with a view to affording the modern man of breeding an extra smattering of knowledge.

Another way of looking at the problem is to ask how best the popularization of science and technology can be utilized to further a particular policy goal, and what strategic decisions need to be made to help bring that goal about. If we called on the conceptual armoury and strategic models to be found in the literature of both the East and the West, we would be in line with this perspective.