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Independent study or distance education courses were established in 1973 at five universities in Sweden. Evaluation of the project was planned to include: (1) a description of the student population, (2) a study of the students' use of and attitudes toward distance-bridging aids such as examinations and methods of instruction, (3) a special study of the students' geographical spread, (4) a study of the effects of the admission rules, (5) analysis of dropouts, (6) interviews with the teachers, and (7) an analysis of prospective student inquiries. Twelve additional Swedish reports and three English reports are cited. (Author/DS)

A teaching system practiced in the Swedish DUNE project, Subproject III, offered an alternative to the usual concentrated form of higher education. An attempt was made to solve the problem of educational distribution by cooperative efforts among municipal authorities, adult education associations, and two postsecondary establishments, the university of Lund and Linkoping College. The subjects selected were English and economics, and teaching was conducted at half speed. The target group included employed persons, the elderly, and undereducated persons. Lessons are conducted in discussion groups and included weekend courses, self-instructional materials, video tapes, and language laboratories. This report reviews briefly the participants' backgrounds, the role of the teacher, student motivation and plans, student assessment of teachers, and assessment of the intensive courses. The results indicate that this is a realistic, alternative delivery system. (LBH)

Three papers are presented in this monograph. The first--Trends in Process-Related Research on Curriculum and Teaching at Different Problem Levels in Educational Sciences--provides a re-analysis of research about the influences of certain environmental factors on student achievement. In the second paper--Frame Factors and Teaching for Mastery--the problem of mastery learning is reviewed from the point of view of the curriculum planner or evaluator. In the third paper--The Curriculum Development System in Sweden: Some Comments on Present Trends and Problems--phases in a reform cycle, frame factors, research, and policy-making are discussed. A bibliography is provided. (DS)

Swedish non-graded small junior high schools are described and specific related problems in curriculum and staffing of rural schools are addressed in terms of policy, practice, and theory. Implications are suggested for curriculum and staffing: (1) curriculum goals and objectives cannot be treated as isolated school phenomena (they have relation to the surrounding society--economic, demographic, social, and cultural situation); (2) the role of the school and its curriculum should be seen in the perspective of the total pupil, with respect to family and peer-group relations, church affiliation, membership in local associations, and participation in extra-curricular activities; and (3) within the school, the whole chain of events should be considered from curriculum goals, through the specific school environment, available resources, and actual teaching practice down to the staff, but also other more specific factors like administrative rules for grouping and class-size. The effects of curriculum and staffing as related to teacher attitudes toward change, optional course selection, employment of students who do not complete their education (and those who do), attitudes of minority cultures toward educational programs, and political influences are also discussed. (AH)

Variations in the number of doctoral degrees awarded by Swedish universities since 1890 are being studied. Within a certain field of study, variations are found both at a national level between different periods, and at an institutional level between different universities. The focus is on the faculties of liberal arts, divinity, social science, and science during the period 1890-1940. A limited number of disciplines since 1940, mainly within the humanities and the social sciences, are also considered. The 1890-1940 period was characterized by limited numbers and sizes of available grants for postgraduate studies, as well as limited opportunities for university teaching positions. The analysis focused on the number of doctoral degrees for each of the four areas of study as well as for specific disciplines, and the number of degrees compared to the rate of increase in the number of professorial chairs. In future stages of the project attention will be directed to dissertation developments and the specific professional labor market conditions for doctoral degree graduates, as well as differences between universities in dissertation developments. Also considered in the project are comparisons with other Nordic countries in doctoral degrees awarded. (SW)