Group 3

North America - Canadian Project - “Contact North” (North Ontario Education Access Network)
This was a collaboration between several universities that was started in 1986 by the government of Ontario to improve access to the university with the help of distance education, (solely for northern Ontario), in very isolated and remote area schools. Programs were designed for secondary or tertiary education in 23 towns without roads, the Francophobe population and native peoples. Degree programs include nursing, public administration, forestry and technology upgrading. Their content delivery was accomplished through audio conferencing, audio graphic conferencing, computer conferencing, and compressed video conferencing. Teacher student interaction was comprised of telephone links, text messaging, and live interaction linked to various groups by satellite and cable television.  The Canadian Project offered special services to students such as satellite television and various receiver stations.

United Kingdom - the Open University
First to be founded, in 1969 it had spectacular success and is ranked first place among the twelve largest  international open universities and thirteen distance-teaching universities. Established by the British government (with no resident students) as a university for adult education to cater to applicants lacking formal university entrance qualifications and provide higher education to those who were educationally disadvantaged. It has played a leading role in distance-education research and supporting other distance-teaching universities, especially in developing countries.
	The university has six departments and an open business school and an academic staff of hundreds for the development of teaching courses.  Courses for undergraduate and graduate classes are developed by course teams. 
	Subject materials are delivered by television, radio, textbooks, video and audio tapes and is supported by face-to-face obligatory attendance at residential schools held for students and teachers in the first semester, on campus or with tutors in the various study centers. More recently computer-conferencing on the Internet and CD-Rom have gained in popularity as a means of content delivery while students and teachers communicate by telephone and correspondence.
	The university offers students low priced, easily accessible courses and tutors. Course work counselors are available by telephone or in study centers.

University of South Africa
This is the oldest distance-teaching University in the world going back to the University of the Cape of Good Hope founded in1873. In the 1950s, it carried out pioneering work in distance education, making it rich in tradition. It is mainly a “correspondence university”- in fact a prototype of the special forms of distance education. The university is one of the ten largest distance-teaching universities in the world providing “sound learning among all classes”, where 56% of the students are women.
	The university is involved in both teaching, research and community service. Faculties include humanities, economics, education, science and theology. The university also provides bachelor’s degrees and to an extent postgraduate studies.
	Should students need assistance, they can visit a professor on campus, telephone or write them. Courses consist of independent reading of textbooks, course instructions and support. The dominant media is the written word in the form of study guides and tutorial letters.  
	Special services offered the students consist of: materials being printed in English and Afrikaans, a number of enrollment offices are set up throughout South Africa, summer school is offered, and preparatory courses to train students to speak and write in their chosen language and in the context of their respective subject matter.

North America: United States:  Penn State World Campus
http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/pub/home/de/

History:  
http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/pub/home/de/de_century.shtml
Penn State has been a pioneer in distance education since 1892, when it founded one of the nation’s first correspondence study programs. The World Campus reaffirms Penn State’s commitment to providing educational access to learners everywhere. 
1992—A University-wide Distance Education Task Force recommends that distance education move into the mainstream of Penn State’s academic community and identifies an action plan to advance this agenda. 
1994—Penn State establishes the Department of Distance Education. 
1996—President Graham Spanier discusses the possibility of a World Campus in his State of the University Address and appoints a Study Team to design a plan for a World Campus that will use newer distance education technologies to extend signature programs of the University globally. 
1997—The World Campus Study Team presents its report and recommends that the University proceed with the development of the World Campus; the Sloan Foundation grants $1.3 million in start-up funding for the World Campus. 
1997—The International Council for Distance Education holds its 18th World Conference at Penn State, capping a series of national and international conferences on distance education that began with the 1994 conference on the internationalization of distance education that inaugurated The Penn Stater Conference Center and Hotel. 
1998—The first students enroll in signature Penn State programs offered through the World Campus. In the coming years, diverse groups of learners will have access “anytime, anywhere” to the education and training they need throughout their lives. 

Mission:  
The Department of Distance Education for Penn State’s World Campus strives to: 
•	Offer individual learners and organizational clients convenient and effective access to Penn State credit and noncredit programs that meet their real needs

•	Support the development and delivery of active, inquiry-oriented, resource-based curricula and learning environments that lead to the formation of learning communities

•	Provide mechanisms by which learners can establish a lifelong relationship with the University and its resources

Programs:  
http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/pub/home/progs/
Basically, there are two different types of World Campus courses: “cohort-based” and “rolling enrollment.” Cohort-based courses have standard start and end dates and are designed to facilitate group-related activities between classmates. Because rolling enrollment courses are open for registration anytime throughout the year, they cannot guarantee the peer-to-peer interaction of cohort-based courses. 
Graduate, Undergraduate, Independent, Professional Development, and non-credit courses are offered via the Word Campus.
Delivery & Developments:
Distance Education has a long and distinguished history at Penn State, and the World Campus makes some of Penn State's most highly regarded programs available "anytime, anywhere" through the World Wide Web, computer conferencing, video, and other media. Creating and teaching a course in this environment can be a new challenge for many faculty members, so to help you learn more about distance education in general, and the World Campus in particular, this faculty development program has been created.
•	Distance Education has a long and distinguished history at Penn State, and the World Campus makes some of Penn State's most highly regarded programs available "anytime, anywhere" through the World Wide Web, computer conferencing, video, and other media.

•	World Campus degree and credit certificate students have on–line access to Penn State’s vast University Libraries system—more than 3.7 million volumes, 31,000 serials and periodicals, and numerous on–line research databases.

•	The Penn State World Campus Faculty Development Program
http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/facdev101/overview.html	
Interaction With Students:  
When you encounter a question or problem related to your course in an on-campus classroom, you look to your teacher for the answer. It’s important that you have the same faculty support when you have questions in your on-line courses. 
World Campus faculty members provide direction and feedback throughout your course experience. These educators are the same faculty members teaching in “traditional” Penn State classrooms and many are leading researchers in their fields. Your learning experience can be greatly enhanced by our faculty members’ years of experience. They are accessible to you via e-mail and telephone throughout your course. 
Special Services:
 http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/pub/home/studserv/
The World Campus Student Services team is ready to meet your needs. Whether you’re looking for help with admissions, academic advising, or technical problems, we’re here for you. We’ve also extended our Learner and Technical Support hours to accommodate your busy schedule.

Europe:  Germany:  Fernstudienzentrum der Universität Karlsruhe 
http://www.uni-karlsruhe.de/~fsz/englisch.html	

The Centre for Distance and Open Learning (FSZ) is an institution of the Universität Karlsruhe (TH) co-operating with the FernUniversität Hagen.
The Universität Karlsruhe (TH) and its Centre for Distance and Open Learning has a leading role in Baden-Württemberg when it comes to setting up and elaborating independent courses of distance and open learning.

History:  
The FernUniversität - Gesamthochschule in Hagen (‘University of Hagen’) was founded in 1974 to provide distance higher education for students at home and abroad. The FernUniversität is the only distance teaching university in Germany and an integral part of the regular public higher education system.

Mission: 

Programs:  
Computer Science; Economics; Education, Social Sciences and Humanities; Electrical Engineering; Law; and Mathematics. Depending on the program of study, after completion of at least three years’ full-time studies the degrees Diploma I (equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree) or Baccalaureus Artium/Bachelor of Arts (B.A) are conferred. New 3- and/or 3 1/2-year-programmes of study include Bachelor's degree programs in computer science (B.Sc. Inform.), in mathematics (B.Sc. Math.), as well as in electrical engineering (B.S. Information und  Communication Engineering). Completion of at least four years’ full-time studies leads to the academic degrees Diploma II or Magister Artium, equivalent to a Master’s degree. On the whole about 1,700 courses are offered for degree and postgraduate programs as well as further education. The language of instruction is mainly German, with the exception of the Bachelor's program in electrical engineering. This bilingual program is offered online in German as well as in English.

Delivery & Developments:
The FernUniversität’s prime medium in most study programs and in most subjects is still the traditional paper based printed course text (Studienbrief). Longstanding complementary media to these 1,700 courses have been audio tapes (relating to 40 courses), video tapes (relating to 150 courses), and regular bi-weekly public television broadcasts.

Computer-mediated communication is in use in the field of database processing and concerning the submission, assessment, and evaluation of computer marked assignments. Interactive videotext and electronic facilities are in application for ordering library books, videos, and for general communication between the student and the teaching and administrative staff of the FernUniversität. Computer-based training programs are being offered with a view to reaching a high degree of individualized learning.

Interaction With Students: 
The FernUniversität is developing a comprehensive 'Virtual University' in which all offers and services of the FernUniversität can be accessed and used via electronic communication and multimedia.  The system could be implemented now in a 3 1/2-year- Bachelor's program in Information and Communication Engineering. Carrying out this undergraduate program is based on using computer networks instead of mail.
International relations of the FernUniversität include cooperation agreements with more than 30 universities and academic networks.  There are over 4,000 students living outside Germany, i.e. in all parts of the world. Student support is provided by E-mail, letter, telephone, or personal counseling at Hagen, as well as by over 60 study centres in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, as well as Hungary, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Russia, and Ukraine. In those countries not bordering on Germany it is possible to sit for FernUniversität examinations at the local branches of the Goethe-Institute, German schools, or the German embassies or consulates.

Special Services:
This 'Virtual University' includes all teaching materials and events, the academic and administrative student support services, the administrative functions, the 'social life', the study material delivery, etc.

Other:  Brazil:  Instituto Universal Brasileiro 
http://www.institutouniversal.g12.br/docs/iubfrset.htm	

History:  
Established in 1941, lnstituto Universal Brazilian is one of the pioneers distance education in the in the country.  

Mission:
Instituto Universal Brasileiro  offers an education of excellent quality.  The open environment allows where to get clarifications and develop research techniques.    
The main ratio of success of our distance education system, consists programs prepared in accordance with didactic techniques especially elaborated by our team, aiming at to facilitate the assimilation of the developed content, on the part of the pupil. 

Programs:  
Graphic Design, Architectural Drawing, Digital Electronics, and Electronic Radio are some of the main courses offered.  Certificates are awarded for course completion.

Delivery & Developments:
A modern electronic computer system was implanted to facilitate registration, dispatching of lessons, and other jobs.

Printed materials are delivered via the postal service.

Interaction With Students:  
The Brazilian Universal Institute created the Center of Supplementary Education Headquarters. This makes it possible for pupils to have personal access to the materials and features the program.  Consultants directly orientate students and assists with any questions or learning issues. 
Special Services:
Specialized professors, instructors, engineers, and technicians for distance education to help bring up to date and modern courses that incorporate practical and new didactic techniques

The Empire State College in the USA:

	The Empire State College was founded in 1971 by the Education Ministry of the State of New York as an extension of the SUNY system of universities. Its target group was the full-time employed, housewives, and minorities. A campus was not built; rather 26 study centers and support points were established instead. The goal was to create a university in which autonomy and self-determination are the foundation for the students to learn. The aim is to focus on individual students through mentors and teachers to help them on a course of self-study. Through counseling sessions with the student, a learning contract was established between the student, university and the teacher.  Each student agrees to follow the syllabus independently, the teacher agrees to provide counseling and support, and the university agrees to award credit when the work is completed. Because the student is then on a more equal standing with their professors, an atmosphere of autonomous learning behavior occurs. Students do not attend traditional classroom lectures. Rather, they read the literature, work through the learning packages, contact relevant specialists nearby and then work one-on-one with their mentors. Evaluation occurs through a process of continuous assessment. In the middle of the degree process, a commission determines whether or not the contract is being fulfilled and student is on the path to graduation.

The FernUniversitaet in Germany:

	The FernUniversitaet was founded in 1974 as an autonomous university funded by the state of North-Rhine Westphalia. The goal of the university is similar to that of other institutions of higher learning; namely to support and develop continuous scientific study through research, teaching and study. It provided a course of study as a relief to overcrowded universities in Germany. Six faculties were established that taught: electrical engineering, education, social sciences and humanities; mathematics; economics; law, and computer science. The University is designed for mature students such as the employed, housewives and even the disabled who cannot leave their homes. Research scientists write the courses, which provide not just a course of study, but a personal teaching program as well. To ensure that the students are able to follow the program, the Zentrum fuer Fernstudiumentwicklung (Center for the Development of Distance Education) stipulates a uniform structure for the course. Two types of video learning supplement the printed material: demonstration videos and training videos.

University of the Air in Japan:

	The University of the Air in Japan was founded in 1983 in order to accomplish three goals:

1.	To allow employed people as well as housewives earn a university education.
2.	There were far more students than the university had places.
3.	To create a university system that utilized the newest technology, namely television and radio.
The University of the Air offers three degrees all leading towards a BA. The University uses printed material to supplement the use of television and radio. Teachers and production directors at the National Institute of Multimedia Education in conjunction with teachers from the University of the Air develop the teaching programs. Students enrolled must watch 30 teaching programs, each of which is 45 minutes long during a 15- week course. Textbooks and fifteen hours of mandatory face-to-face student/teacher time are also mandatory. It has also developed a system of distance learning that involves the use of audio and video cassettes that are used in special study centers. The course of study is exceptionally flexible because it uses radio and television for those living within the range of the Tokyo transmitter as well as provides special study centers with audio and video recordings for those outside that range.

North America – University of Arizona

In 1972, UA started its distance learning program by using a reel-to-reel tape operation for their engineering courses.  Dean Walter Fahey anticipated a need to provide graduate level courses in engineering for other engineers who wanted to continue their education.  

Today, you can choose from a variety of single engineering courses, specialize in certifications and degree programs.  Degrees offered Master of Arts in Information Resources and Library Sciences; Master of Science in Optical Sciences and Tri-University Master of Engineering.  Professional Certificates are Reliability and Quality Engineering, and Systems Engineering.  Distance Learning manages course registrations and logistics for distance students throughout the world.  

Technical University of Denmark

University of Denmark is one of the largest University in Northern Europe leading in Engineering and research.  It has approximately 380 courses and has around 500 international students per year with total enrollment at 6000 students.  Their focus is on learning rather than on teaching and they continued a strong focus on research.  Students are trained in foreign languages to prepare them to work internationally.  The philosophy of teaching is for the student to apply their knowledge of engineering science tot he solution of practical programs and to view technological problems in a social context.   

De La Salle Univeristy - Philippines

At present, the College of Education does not offer distance-learning courses. However, its Educational Management Department is currently working on this and may offer on in the future.  The College, however, conducts extension classes wherein DLSU has a "partner institution". The extension classes are conducted in the premises of the partner institution and the faculty comes from
DLSU-Manila.