Chapter 34- Distance Education

Chapter Outline

• Introduction
• What is Distance Education ?
• The Purposes and Function served by Distance Education
• Theories of Distance Education
• Organization and Management of a Distance Education Programmed

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Introduction

          Distance education mode is now being recognized globally as an effective supplement for even substitute for the regular classroom instruction  More and more universities and School Education boards are coming with some or the other advanced network of the distance education. It has necessitated on the part of the prospective as well as in-service teachers to become acquainted with the nature and functioning of the distance education mode not only for helping the cause of distance education but also to make its proper utilization for professional growth.

What is Distance Education ?

          The term distance education refers to a system of education run along a two-way interaction and communication between the source of teaching and the learner maintained through the conventional as well as advanced information and communication technologies with an eye on providing opportunities to the learner to engage in his self-study with a freedom of choice related to time, space, pace, medium, access and curriculum.

The Purposes and Functions served by Distance Education

The purposes and functions served by distance education may be outlined as

(i)               Helpful in serving the educational and functional needs of all those learners for whom it remains as the first and a lone choice for one or the other reasons,

(ii)            Helping in the achievement of the target of compulsory education to all besides proving an effective and forceful media for mass education,

(iii)          Considered better in comparison to the conventional system of education due to its cost-effectiveness,

(iv)          Helpful in inculcating among the students a number of good habits like self-study, independent problem solving ability, time and resource management,

(v)             Suiting the likings, needs and temperaments of a wide variety of the learners on account of the flexibility and freedom offered by it in terms of time, space, pace, medium, access and curriculum, and

(vi)          Helpful in the universalization, humanization and globalization of the system of worldwide education.

      

Theories of Distance Education

   Theories of distance education represent the basic assumptions, principles and insights for directing the path of distance education. The theories discovered so far can be broadly grouped into three categories, namely

(i) theories of autonomy and independence, 
(ii) theories of industrialization, and 
(iii) theories of interaction and communication.

     Theories of autonomy and independence try to put the learner in the centre and fore front of a teaching learning process of any distance education programme. As example of these theories we may name the theories like Charles Wedemeyer’s Theory of Independent Study, Michael G. Moore’s Theory of Autonomy and Independent Study.

     Theories of industrialization try to organize the structure and functioning of the distance education or the basis of the model of industrialization. The theories put forward by the scholars kike Otto Peters, Desmond Keegan, Randy Garrison and John Andeson belong to this group of theories.

     Theories of Interaction Communication focus on the significance and role played by the phenomenon of interaction and communication in the organization and functioning of a distance education program. The theories propounded by the scholars like Borje Holmberg, John A. Baath, Kevin C. Smith, David Stewart and John S. Daniel belong to this group of theories.

Distance Education in India – Historical and Modern Perspectives

   Before independence in our country, distance education was not the subject of mass or general education. It existed for the elite class in the name and shape of  correspondence courses and postal tuition or coaching run through a very few commercial institutes. The trend continued for a long even after gaining independence till 1960 when for the first time Planning Commission of the country put forward his proposal of making use of correspondence education as a supplementary method to meet the growing demand for higher education. As a result Delhi University came up in 1962 with the first correspondence course of the country at the university level through the establishment of School of Correspondence course and Continuing education in its campus. Late on other universities took initiative by establishing departments or directorate of correspondence courses or education. On the school level, the first correspondence course (for the students of Intermediate classes) was started in 1965 by the Board of School Education of the State Madhya Pradesh. In 1979 CBSE started an open school enrolled in the regular classes for one for such courses. Its working was later on handed over to National Open School (NOS) now known as National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) – responsible of running open learning system at the school level. At the higher education level this responsibility is now shared by the National Open University known as Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) established in the year 1985. With the establishment of IGNOU, the distance education of the eighties (provided usually in the form of correspondence courses) have changed into an era of open learning.

Organization and Management of a Distance Education

Programme
The task of the planning and organization of the activities concerning of a
distance education programme involves certain basic components or
elements like 

(i) preassumptions and knowledge about the learners, 

(ii) development of the course material, 

(iii) follow-up in the form of assignments’ evaluation and feedback, 

(iv) organization of personal contact program (PCP), 

(v) Selection and use of appropriate communication media or technology, 

(vi) Provision of study centres, and 

(vii) Sharing of resources. 

              32

           Resource Centres of Educational

           Technology

          

 CHAPTER OUTLINE

·       Introduction

·       Resource Centres- Meaning

·       Objectives

·       Functions

·       Organization

·       A Few Leading Resource Centres

·       Summary

·       Review Questions

·       Reference and Suggestive Reading

Introduction

Educational technology is concerned with the supply of and skills needed for improving the processes and product of Education. It stands for helping the teachers in their teaching and learners in their learning functions by providing needed theoretical grounds, suggesting useful teaching-learning material forthe development of personal skills for achieving the teaching learning objectives, in the most effective and economical as possible. In this way, equipping the teachers and learners with the essentials gradients of educational technology

is a big challenge. It can only be face by resorting to the pooling of different type of resource   at their disposal. Such multiple resources can hardly be afforded bya single individual or institution. It is here arises the need of establishment ofsome appropriate resource centresat the local, regional, state and central levels for catering the needs of individuals and institutions for enabling them to utilizethe services of Educational technology in achieving the desired educational andinstructional purposes.

Resource Centres-Meaning

The term resource centres, as the name suggests, stands for those places where

different types of resources may be pooled and are available. However, in the

Field of educational technology, resource centre of technology mean the centres

and places where we can have provision of needed men-material resources for

providing essential theoretical and practical knowledge, skills, applications,attitudes

and interest related with the use of education technology and theconcerned persons for improving the process and products of education in the general and the teaching learning process in particular.

 OBJECTIVES

Working on the local, regional, state, or central level, and properly functioning

resource centre may be supposed to serve mainly to the ff.services.

1.     To pool, produce, organize, maintain and provide services of the various types of men-material resources related to the use of educational tech.

2.     To conduct and help in the organization of various type of activities, programmes, simenars, workshops, etc.

3.     To conduct and help in the organization of training and refreshing courses for helping students and teachers to acquire knowledge, information and

skills related to educational technology.

4.     To make provision for conducting action and fundamental researches for

The development and application of principles and practices of educational technology.

5.     To work as a motivating and inspirational source for the development and application of educational technology.

6.     To work as a centre for the dissemination of information and knowledge

Related to the development of educational technology. 

1.     To work as a coordinating agency for the development and application of

educational technology.

2.     To work as a centre of providing guidance and counselling for the development and application of educational technology.

3.     To have provision of extension services to the community in extending application.

 FUNCTIONS

In view of the above objectives of resource centres, we can summarize their

Functions and roles in the following ways:

 Pooling and developing needed resources (men and material)

The resource centres are supposed to have an adequate supply of men and materials resources. So, these are supposed to be engaged in carrying out of

The following activities.

·        Have production of varying  types  of audio-visual aid material needed  for carrying out various types of instructional activities

at the school level.

·        Acquire teaching learning aid material from various resources

availableat the local, regional, state and national levels free

 of cost or on price.

·        Acquire the needed information, knowledge , skills and

Application of educational and technology from the various

Sources for its storage and use.

·        Remain in touch with the latest developments in the application of educational technology.

·        Provide incentives and opportunities  to the staff for the development of the need improvised teaching-learning material.

·        Have an adequate provision for the in service and pre- service training of the personnel related with the organization and functioning of resource center.

Providing needed services

The resource centres are supposed to carry the following types of services on their users ( teachers and students):

·        Enquiry counter

·        Teaching and training

·        Guidance and counselling

·        Motivation and inspiration

·        Extension service

prblem solver and helper

Working as liaison and coordinating agency

There are various types of resources centres which maybe founded to be operating at the institutional, local, regional, district, state and central levels.

They all stand for helping the teachers and learners at the root level to understand the development and application of educational technology.

However, they differ in their functioning and potential. Therefore , all levels should be have :

A.    Proper coordination  and understanding

B.     Coordinating and integrated activities

C.     Proper link and coordination

 Organization

The following things should keep in mind while taking care of the establishment

and organization of the resource centre in schools:

1)    It should be centrally located for providing convenient access to the class

room and subject related instructions.

2)    It should have adequate space, lighting and ventilation, essential furnishing and accommodation.

3)    The success story of the functioning of a resources centre is essentially

linked with the personnel associated with its management and working.

4)    An adequate budget amount should be allotted for equipping as well as

the functioning of the resource centre by the management or administrative authorities of the institution.

5)    A proper execution plan/schedule should chalked out of the activities and functioning of the resource centre. Such as:

Ø Pooling and development of material resource

Ø Maintenance and providing service

Ø Orientation and training

Ø Collection , storage and dissemination of knowledge and information

Ø Guidance and counselling

Ø Coordination  and integration

Ø Establishing link

Ø Popularizing

1)    The field of science and technology and principles and practices of effective management should be made into use of proper planning 

execution and control of the functioning of the resource centre.

2)    The fact and practice of establishing proper link and seeking due help, assistance and guidance from the chain of resource established outside the boundary of one’s institution in the shape of the resource centres of the colleges of education, DIET’S, state resource centres of educational technology  (ET cells), SCERT, NCERT and its centre of educational tech-

nology (CIET).

A Few Leading Resource Centres

Central Institute of Education Technology (CIET)

CIET Works as a constituent of the National Council of Education Research and

Training (NCERT), New Delhi, NCERT, is an autonomous body set up in 1961 by

the then Ministry of Education,  Government of India.It is an apex resources organization responsible for the bringing qualitative improvement in the school education and consequently assist and advices the centre and the state government  in the area of school education including teacher education through its constituents like the:

1.     National Institute of Education , New Delhi

2.     Central Institute of Education Technology

3.      PSS Central  

 Institute of Vocational Education, New Delhi

4.     Five Regional Institute of Education located at Ajmer, Bhopal Bhubaneswar, Mysore and Shillong.

Organisation of CIET

Different section or departments:

1.     Educational Technology- Planning and System Design Department

2.     Educational Technology and Training Department

3.     Graphics Exhibition and Printing Department

4.     Information and Records

5.     Television Department

6.     Film AND Photo Department

7.     Research Evaluation and Coordination Department

8.     Technical Planning and Maintenance Department

1.     Audio-Radio Department

2.     Distance Education Department

3.      Special Project Department

Role and function

TABLE 32.1The function and role of CIET

Functions

Role activities

Designing and Alternative system	To deal problems with education
Orientation	Engage in the orientation of educational planners, administrators and educators in the concept of educational technology and to the development, production and utilization of the system
Training	Training in specialized areas such as audio-video production and low cost teaching aids as well as use and maintenance of equipment
Production	Engage the production of educational audio visual material such as tv,radio, film and low costing teaching aids
Research	Engage in research and evaluation to test and improve systems, methods and materials developed, adopted and adjusted in IT
Extension	Provide extension services for supplying and screening of educational film/vediotapes/audio tapes to doordarshan and organize and organize and participate in educational media consent
Consultancy	Provide consultancy for educational technology and distance education programmes
Coordination	Work as coordinating agency and clearing house for educational tech. with MHRD, state, international organization and UN agencies

Activities and achievement of CIET in some of major areas.

1.     Production and development of audio video programmes.

2.     Training and consultancy

3.     Transmission of ETV programs

4.     Broadcast of educational radio programmes

5.     Research and evaluation activities

6.     Library services

7.     Providing help for the implementation of EDUSAT  programme

Educational Technology Cells (ET cells)

At the state level we have Educational Technology (ET) Cells located and functioning either under the supervision and administrative control of the SCERTs/SIES of respective states/union territories or established to function independently in the name of State.Institution of Educational Technology

(SIETs). SIET represents the type of institution (functioning at present in seven states ) supposed to carryout the similar function as performed by CIET at the center.

Objectives

Chapter 33- e-Learning and Virtual classrooms

Chapter Outline

• Introduction
• What is e-Learning
• Nature and characteristics of e-Learning
• Concept of e-learning
• Modes and styles
• Promotion and arrangement for e-Learning
• Advantages of e-Learning
• Virtual classrooms
• Review questions

Psychological Bases for the Use of Hardware and Software Technologies

Psychological Bases for the Use of Hardware and Software Technologies
(Mangal, S.K. & Uma Mangal, 2012, Essentials of Educational Technology)

Why is  the use of technology so important nowadays, even in learning? What is its connection on education? In the aspect of education psychology, we will understand that it does help both the teacher and learner in the accordance with the aims and objectives of education. It has been stated before, "Experience is the great teacher," and even, "Senses are the gateway to knowledge." Here are the psychological bases:

1. Edgar Dale's Cone of Experience
2. Multi-Sensory Instruction

In Edgar Dale's Cone of Experiences, the starting point is from maximum concreteness and least abstractness. Eventually, as the learners upgrade the concreteness decreases and abstractness increases. Here is the figure of Edgar Dale's Cone of Experience:

In Multi-Sensory Instruction or multimedia approach, the teaching-learning process is carried out through a number of media by using them in such a planned and organized combination utilization for achieving the desired ends in a quite effective way.

The characteristics of such an approach can be summarized as follows:

1. Multimedia or multi-sensory approach calls for the use of a number of media, devices and techniques for teaching-learning.
2. Multimedia or sensory approach is the contribution and net result of the researches and experiments going on the subject of educational technology dor improving the process and products of the act of teaching-learning.
3. The variety of  media involving multiple senses are carefully selected which becomes quite effective in providing desirable learning experiences to the learner for achieving the predetermined teaching-learning objectives. 
4. The multiple-senses and multimedia are not used haphazardly, merely to increase the size and number of media for being named as multimedia or multi-sensory approach. Instead, these are selected and planned in amost appropriate economical combination to yield the best possible  results.
5. While selecting different media for adopting multi-sensory  or multimedia approach , it is taken care of that the presence of one must increase the effect of others in the realization of set teaching-learning objectives with reference to a particular teaching-learning situation.
6. Multimedia or multi-sensory approach asks for the judicious and planned use of the hardware and software available in the field of technology.
7. In multimedia or multi-sensory approach, several media and techniques can be effectively used as appropriate vehicles for the needed communication of ideas in the process of teaching-learning. 

Uses and Advantage of  Multi-Sensory Instruction

1. Makes Educational process interesting, purposeful and effective.
2. Meets the needs of the learners. 
3. Makes the learning highly individualized and self -dependent. 
4. Relieves teachers from the routine duties. 
5. Properly appeals and spreads education to masses.
6. Is able of providing advantages of both group and individualized learning.

ASSURE MODEL

ASSURE MODEL

• Analyze Learners:

      -Survey

      -10 4th year students of College of Education

      - Questions in the survey

      1. Do you know how to design a Bulletin Board? Yes or No

      2. Do you think the use of Bulletin Board is significant in educational Technology?                            Yes or  No

     3. Do you think a Bulletin Board would help students and teachers? Yes or  No

     4. In decorating a Bulletin Board, will you do it alone? Yes or  No

     5. In making a Bulletin Board, would you ask help from your students? Yes or  No

• State objectives:

       1. Provides students with unique opportunities to apply skills and talents and o                         interact with others in non-threatening environments.

       2. Posters the development of leadership abilities and team work

       3. Supplies informations through multi-sensory delivery channels, allowing students              and various learning styles to assimilate and apply knowledge.

• Select Media and Materials: 

       1.     Internet (search for videos, sample pictures of Bulletin Board, Media room )

       2.     Published books (search in library)

•  Utilize Media and  Materials

                1. Why do we need Internet access?

-         Because it is a necessity in our generation.

-         Because we can see the works of others , not just in the Philippines but around the world.

2. Why do we need published books ?

-         Because the traditional way in learning is still important.

-         Because reading books can enrich learning.

3.   Why do we need a Media Room?

-         To practice what we have learned in theory.

•  Require learner’s participation

                1.     Make Bulletin Board according to principles of designing

                2.     Encourage team work

•   Evaluate and Revise

                 -Evaluate bulletin board displays using a set of criteria for quality.
                 -

Propose enhancements to make the display more effective.