This is the first of a series of papers describing how the Open University, a large distance education institution, has embraced the Internet as a medium for supporting its students, tutors, academics, and administrators throughout the education process. This paper reports on a holistic approach to integrating technology into the teaching process which addresses how to provide necessary functions in effective forms—some traditional, some new. It describes the development and structure of actual systems, which incorporate electronic student registration; electronic assignment submission, marking, and recording; electronic tutorials and other interaction; and electronic examinations. It describes and summarises some of the findings of the evaluation of those systems, including student, academic, and administrator feedback. Finally, this paper reflects on the benefits of an integrated holistic approach in exploiting the Internet's potential to support distance learning on a massive scale. Subsequent papers in this series will address specific areas in detail:the student experience, the role of the tutor in an electronic environment, and the institutional perspective.

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A holistic approach to supporting distance learning using the Internet: transformation, nottranslation

In this paper, we describe a web-based interactive programming exercise system, aimed in part at addressing the retention crisis in computer science education. The system is based on automatic program-checking software. It is designed to be easy for students and faculty to use, to support a wide variety of programming exercises, and to encourage sharing of exercises among faculty. The system is immediately available to anyone with web access with no arrangements needed. Special features such as roster maintenance can be arranged with a minimum of effort.

WebToTeach: an interactive focused programming exercise system

This paper reports on large-scale trials of Internet-based university-level distance teaching. The use of technology, and more specifically the Internet, has been an important advance for distance education. However, simply translating material from familiar media into electronic form is rarely productive-and is certainly inadequate for supported distance education, which aims to engage the student in a 'community of learning'. The value Internet technology brings to distance education lies not in direct translation from other media but in transformation of support mechanisms to exploit its potential range. The paper begins by considering how instruction and support functions can be served and potentially enhanced by an Internet-based structure. It considers which changes in culture help to preserve or improve teaching quality while adapting to screen-based and often asynchronous interactions. It discusses: trials of mechanisms for interactions among students and instructors; assignment marking using an electronic marking tool; electronic assignment handling; synchronous and asynchronous Internet-based problem sessions; and automatic student registration. The paper summarizes qualitative and quantitative findings of an extensive evaluation involving several hundred students over three courses and considering learning, student experience, assignment marking, problem sessions, scalability and integration into existing administrative structures. It highlights both costs and gains of using the Internet to transform the distance learning environment for those associated with it: students, instructors, administrators and institutions.

Innovations in large-scale supported distance teaching: transformation for the Internet, not just translation

This paper describes how the Computing Department of the Open University is using the Internet for collaborative learning in a distributed educational process. Our research has been to see the extent to which traditional communications media can be replaced by electronic communication for the whole educational process and in particular to assess the role of collaborative learning in a distributed education environment. We set in context what constitutes a distributed learning environment and examine whether collaborative learning can be supported in this environment and what form the collaborative learning embodies. We report briefly on a set of trials and pilot studies were tuition through collaboration is practised. The model we have developed provides a collaborative environment in a way that is not normally available in a conventional setting. We have found that a distributed educational process naturally supports collaborative learning environments in which students and tutors interact and provide essential support for students studying at a distance. We have found that tutor’s feedback to students has improved and that tutors are happy to work in the new environment.

Learning through Collaboration in a Distributed Education Environment

This paper reports on large-scale trials of Internet-based university-level distance teaching. The use of technology, and more specifically the Internet, has been an important advance for distance education. However, simply translating material from familiar media into electronic form is rarely productive—and is certainly inadequate for supported distance education, which aims to engage the student in a “community of learning.” The value Internet technology brings to distance education lies not in direct translation from other media but in transformation of support mechanisms to exploit its potential range. The paper addresses how instruction and support functions can be served and potentially enhanced by an Internet-based structure. It considers which changes in culture help to preserve or improve teaching quality while adapting to screen-based and often asynchronous interactions. It discusses our trials of mechanisms for interactions among students and tutors; assignment marking using an electronic marking tool; electronic assignment handling; synchronous and asynchronous Internet-based problem sessions; and automatic student registration. The paper summarizes qualitative and quantitative findings of an extensive evaluation involving several hundred students over three courses and considering learning, student experience, assignment marking, problem sessions, scalability, and integration into existing administrative structures. It highlights both costs and gains of using the Internet to transform the distance learning environment for those associated with it: students, tutors, administrators, and institutions.

Innovations in Large‐Scale Supported Distance Teaching: Transformation for the Internet, Not Just Translation

New computer and communication technologies now provide the educationalist with a wide range of tools for use in the educational process. Many of these technologies such as computer-assisted learning and multimedia have had quite a rocky road to becoming effective tools, It was only after these tools emerged from the initial hype that they truly found a place in education. The Internet is still in this initial hype phase and is in danger of being used superficially. This paper begins the development of a theoretical basis for the appropriate use of Internet tools in computer science education. The proposed selection matrix will help realise the potential of these tools within the context of maximizing learning outcomes.

Appropriate use of the Internet in computer science courses

Multimedia technology offers considerable potential for education though the costs of production of courseware are prohibitive especially in a rapidly changing discipline such as computer science. This paper proposes a cost-effective technique which allows multimedia courseware to be developed quickly and economically. To illustrate this concept, courseware material for an undergraduate Data Communications subject has been implemented.

Cost effective multimedia courseware development

One of the challenges confronting website designers is to provide effective navigational support. Supplemental navigation tools such as search, indexes and sitemaps are frequently included on websites. However, due to a lack of guidance for designers a proliferation of designs has evolved leaving users confused about the role and value of each particular tool. This paper reports an empirical investigation into the expectations of users regarding the purpose and design of supplemental navigation tools. Expectations are then compared with a survey of the current utilization of these tools in major commercial websites. The study establishes a relationship between certain types of information goals and the selection of search and sitemap tools.

Y. K. Leung

Papers

Appropriate use of the Internet in computer science courses

Cost effective multimedia courseware development

Supplemental navigation tools for website navigation: a comparison of user expectations and current practice

Supplemental Navigation Tools for Website Navigation - A Comparison of User Expectations and Current Practice.