Distance Education Technology Study. Final Report: Executive Summary presented to: Wisconsin Educational Communications Board.

Overview & Synopsis

This document consists of the final report and executive summary of a distance education technology study conducted on behalf of the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board (WECB) during 1992-93 in order to provide information to assist the educational institutions of the state in formulating strategic directions for the development of distance education technologies. The main components of the study are: (1) a comprehensive statewide distance education needs analysis; (2) analysis of currently available and future technologies; (3) development of technical alternatives for meeting the identified needs; (4) analysis of and recommendations for the current WECB television and FM interconnect; (5) recommendations for ongoing development of a statewide distance education system; and (6) development of modeling tools and information databases which can be used after the conclusion of the study. Appendices include documentation on: the Wisconsin Overlay Distance Education Network (WODIE), Instructional Television Fixed Service (ITFS) allocations, Wisconsin distance education projects, distance education technology resources, interconnection of the broadcast network and Department of Transportation/Digital Signal Processing microwave system, state tower locations, Wisconsin correctional facilities, library districts, Vocational, Technical and Adult Education locations, 2-year and 4-year University of Wisconsin campus locations, Cooperative Educational Service Agency district offices, network connection diagrams, the migration plan, network decision trees, financial model examples, the study database, and standards. A glossary is also appended. (MES)