Background: For several decades Swedish universities and colleges have worked together with public service television and radio on distance education. The UR programmes are broadcast nationwide and play an important role in general non-curriculum adult education. Students have access to the programmes streamed via Internet and through Learning Management Systems (LMS). Sometimes entire programmes are used, sometimes they are designed as so-called learning objects. The network organization SNH – Cooperation for Academic Net Based Learning – is a forum for cooperation between four universities and UR, the Swedish Educational Broadcasting Company. The universities are Luleå University of Technology, Mid Sweden University, University of Gävle and Blekinge Institute of Technology. The SNH cooperation is about Internet based, flexible learning and is focused on the development of courses and learning objects.

Online distribution: A new system for digital distribution is being tested. UR transmits programmes and learning objects to the universities. Ten universities have established a common media server where the materials are stored. From this server the programmes can be reached as streaming video or audio in closed-circuit networks or made available on DVDs. The university libraries have an important role to play in providing information about the digital distribution and the programmes. All the programmes are available free of charge. This has been possible because of a copyright agreement between UR and Copyswede, the umbrella organization that represents “rights” holders and performers in Sweden, and the universities.

Web 2.0: The trend in Internet education has been towards an increase in interactive software, that is to say from the one-way flow of information to interactivity and web 2.0, social software. In our new digital distribution system learning objects produced by UR and by instructors and students will be available. Instructors and students can access programmes, comment on them, send suggestions to friends etc.

A concrete illustration: Two internet based courses in care of the elderly were developed in a partnership that included UR, the universities, the Swedish Municipal Workers' Union and the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions. The target group was employees who had no previous experience of higher education. The courses were five week full time courses paced at a quarter of that of a full-time student. TV- and radio programmes were broadcast when the courses were run for the first time. Learning objects were developed and included in the course participants’ platforms as integral parts. Besides traditional course literature the programmes and a special website played an important part in stimulating the students lust to learn

Evaluation: The evaluations have shown that multiple tracks of audio and visual information convey powerful learning benefits, such as each source complementing the others. The several modes provide multiple entry points into content, and thus offer greater accommodation to the “multiple intelligences” found in a diverse group of students. The programmes had a powerful ability to convey experience through the emotions evoked by images. This was very useful in the learning process.

Some conclusions: It must be easy for instructors and students to search for, find and use relevant and quality declared programmes and learning objects. There must be search systems and databases that are natural for students and instructors to use. It is essential that learning objects are described with good metadata resources and it is necessary to increase the media pedagogical work that are aimed at teachers.