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Developments in communications technology are having a profound effect on both distance education and higher education in general. Technologies such as computer-mediated communication and learning networks are making collaborative and personalized learning experiences, at a distance, a reality. These same technologies and the growing pressure to provide quality learning experiences on-campus are also transforming higher education, particularly with regard to the dominance ofthe lecture.

Oblinger and Maruyama (1996) report that in higher education a" majority ofinstitutions construe teaching almost entirely in terms oflecturing"(p. 2). Interestingly, this practice of focusing on the transmission of information shares similar characteristics to traditional distance education. Although the medium oftransmission is different, both teaching and learning models are largely based upon one-way transmission ofinformation with little chance for sustained interaction. In distance education the dominant model has attempted to maximize access through the mass production ofself-instructional course materials (Garrison, 1997; 1995). In campus-based higher education, the lecture is also used to transmit information as efficiently as possible. However, developments in commu-