Distance Education in Swedish Universities.

Overview & Synopsis

Varied aspects of Swedish Distance Education are described in this report, which is based primarily on an evaluation that analyzed student background, study problems, student use of and attitudes towards distance aids, study results, and the psychological consequences of distance education. Emphasis is on an investigation of distance education students who began their studies in the academic year 1974-1975 and on a follow-up study in spring 1979, though some additional studies are discussed. The components of the evaluation program are outlined, and a short history examines how distance education functions at Swedish universities. Some of the main results of the evaluation are listed, together with course completion rates and the results of a study of 120 distance education teachers. Main conclusions are then discussed, including the overall conclusion that the decentralized Swedish model for distance education seems to have functioned very well. Nineteen references are listed. (LMM)