ABSTRACT
The scope of activity scheduling encompasses not only the work of the student and the work of the materials transformers but also, and critically, the work of the materials authors. In multi-media systems in which the components of learning packages may include, besides printed materials, non-broadcast audio-visual materials, scientific experiment kits and other learning aids, multiple activity schedules must be devised and co-ordinated to ensure that the preparation of all components is complete by the date of distribution to the student. Very few distance-teaching systems involve the student in all of the activities. In distance teaching, communication between teachers and distance students is indirect. Each distance-teaching institution must initially guess how much time is required for the completion of each stage. Whatever the time norms are, one critical lesson to be learned from observation of distance-teaching institutions around the world is that activity scheduling needs to be projected beyond the first year of operation.
