distance education | Distance Learning Systems (DLSI)

Distance Education Challenges in India

The world’s largest university was the Indira Gandhi National University founded in the year 1985. There are more than 40 thousand students enrolled in the distance education in more than 40 educational institutions. This shows that a huge number of people are embracing the system in the wake of multifarious economic and social changes.

But the system which offers an easy access to higher education had been inconsistent in ensuring the quality of education through inefficiencies and dilapidated regulation. The program is headed the other way and most of the Indian society were not able to understand the purpose it was created. There should have a been a constant policy or a strong management body that will administer properly the system.

In response to this problem, a management body was created for the distance education in 1991. They call it the DEC or the Distance Education Council which is under the aegis of the IGNOU. The job of the council is to regulate, control and monitor the different Distance Education institutions in India. It was later named Distance Education Bureau in the year 2013.

There were still issues and problem arisen even with the creation of the bureau. Many critics have questioned the process, the authority and the system of the bureau. Even there were confusions over legal matters which reached the Supreme Court.

The creation of the Distance Education system has created an overabundance of difficulty and confusion over the years. There hasn’t been a concrete resolution created to properly address the issues involved. The Government was not yet able to keep pace with the fast flowing changes over time. If ever they will be able to try a different approach or strategy to make the system work flawlessly it would be a very ideal program and will be a pattern for other countries to follow.

This is a good example to follow for schools in the U.S. who are planning to put up distance education programs.

Distance Education Enrollment Statistics

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) launched a new report examining the new IPEDS information on distance education. The report, named Enrollment in Distance Education Programs by State, is a welcome addition to those enthusiastic about testing and knowing the condition of distance education (mostly as an online format) in US higher education.

The Fall Enrollment part of the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System or IPEDS, study gathered information for the first time on enrollment in courses in which educational content was offered specifically through distance education, described in IPEDS as “education that uses one or more technological innovation to provide training to learners who are separated from the trainer and to support frequent and purposeful interaction between the learners and the trainer synchronously or asynchronously.” These Web Tables provide current information of enrollment in distance education courses across states and in various types of organizations. They are designed to serve as a useful guideline for monitoring future trends, particularly as certain states and organizations concentrate on MOOCs and other online learning projects from a policy viewpoint.

From one viewpoint, this is extensive because NCES is enjoying a crucial part in offering the raw information for professionals to analyze. It is also easy to understand that since this was the first IPEDS study regarding distance education in many years, there truly was no guideline information for evaluation. Even so, a few features of important information factors would have been beneficial.

There is also a deficiency of caveats. The largest one has to do with the state-by-state studies. Enrollments follow where the organization is situated and not where the college student is situated while taking the distance courses. Consider Arizona: the state has several organizations (Arizona State University, Grand Canyon University, Rio Salado College, and the University of Phoenix) with huge numbers of enrollments in other states. Those enrollments are all mentioned in Arizona, so the state-by-state evaluations have specific definitions that might not be obvious without some viewpoint offered. Even though there are no features, the first two sections contain a selection of sources to prior research. These details beg the query as to what the tables in this report have to say on the same factors of research.

Result Oriented Distance Education

Distance education is a variable that is different for each individual student. Some students are more relaxed than others with practicing autonomy in:

Setting their studying goals,
Selecting their studying techniques,
Monitoring their meta-cognitive states,
Ensuring that they have obtained their predetermined goals, and
Assessing when they have exceeded perfecting predetermined goals and have obtained the capability to be innovative, fix problems and deal with unique conditions when they occur instantly and suddenly.
More independent students usually reduce the stage of transactional distance between themselves and their teachers. Other students require more structure in their studying. They:
Are less likely to set their own studying goals and depend more on what is set for them in advance,
Are more relaxed with preselected studying techniques as in comparison to choosing such techniques for themselves,
Prefer to get support in how to observe their meta-cognitive states,
Rely on consistent assessments to make sure that they have obtained the specified goals of training, and
Arrive at critical thinking, troubleshooting and creativeness with the support of a group of students.

Less independent students usually increase the stage of transactional distance. However, both categories of students and the many more that fit in between them benefit from versatile distance education that accommodate their patience for independence and meet their need for framework.

Distance education in-and-of-itself has no value other than serving the learning of students according to their skills (ability to perform particular projects under certain conditions. More transactional distance is not better or more intense; its appropriate stage relies on the skills of each individual student while executing a process). The objective for all students is to be successful, some may take more time, some less, but all of them would master the conventional studying goals. Distance education created based on the concept of transactional distance is, therefore, result oriented; it measure the efficiency of the student under certain conditions as the important factor in the teaching-learning formula.

Distance Education and Industrialization

Industrialization has been a feature of distance education for many years. Otto Peters, a pioneering theorist, described when technology is used to reach learners in mass, education assumes commercial features, such as, standardization of services and huge manufacturing of academic products (Keegan 1994). To the level that letters knowledge trusted huge production of academic materials (e.g. books) it was a commercial business. Another sign of industrialization in distance education is division of labor. The course team as initially designed by Charles Wedemeyer and applied by the British Open University is an example of division of labor in online learning. The contemporary university is also gifted with a bureaucracy, by definition is a commercial operation, although the educating methods both in the class room and at a distance, mostly, remain pre-commercial (pre-modern) and craft focused.

Industrialization to train and learn is particularly suitable when the need of many learners for access is at stake. Daniel (1996) focusing the failure of “campus” education to meet such a need, particularly in developing nations, compared the function of “mega-universities,” or those serving the needs of at least 100,000 learners, with that of “campus” colleges. He said: “The mega-universities vary from campus universities in their manufacturing procedures. The operations of the mega-universities owe much to commercial methods, whereas academic procedures on campus are similar to a cottage industry.”

It is worth noting here that Daniel’s idea of a “cottage industry” is different than that of Toffler, who imagined a “cottage industry” as a “third wave phenomenon.” Daniel’s referrals to a “cottage industry” here is a pre-industrial operation with employees who work alone and perform their projects without the benefit of a supporting staff providing them the advantages of industrial division of labor. Introduction of the Internet with its potential for a post-industrial form to train and learn has led to a review of industrialization. Daniel (1996) making referrals to the disadvantages of the pre-commercial, and commercial operations, said “It is likely that neither strategy will be particularly well designed for the third generation of online learning technologies: the knowledge media.”

The World of Distance Learning Systems

Distance learning is a mode of providing education and training, often on an individual basis, to students who are not physically present in a conventional setting such as a class room. Distance learning systems provide “access to education when the source of information and the students are separated by time or distance, or both.” Nowadays, online learning, usually in college-level, where students work on their own at home or at the office and interaction with faculty and other students via e-, digital forums, video chat, message boards, instant messaging and other forms of computer-based communication. Most distance learning systems include a computer-based training (CBT) program and communication tools to produce a virtual class room. Because the World Wide Web is accessible from virtually all pc systems, they serve as the foundation for distance learning methods.

The first online learning course in the modern era was provided and developed by Sir Isaac Pitman in the 1840s, who taught a system of shorthand by mailing texts transcribed into shorthand on post cards and receiving transcriptions from his students in return for correction, the element of student feedback was crucial advancement of Pitman’s program.

There are different types of distance learning systems:

Audio Based – It is distance learning method utilizing one-way or two-way interaction. This includes everything from radio broadcasting and phone conferences to pre-recorded audio CDs.

Video Based – There are two basic types of video distance learning courses:

Prerecorded Video – videotaped courses are sent to students who can view them at an off-site location.
Two-Way Interactive Video – Satellites, cameras, and computer monitors allow teachers and/or students at another website.

Internet Based – Web centered applications require a web based accessibility and little else. Students of online distance learning applications often receive training through websites, email, digital forums, and messaging systems. These applications generally offer the same program as on-site applications and usually come with an adjusted price tag. Perhaps this is why internet distance learning is becoming so popular. Distance education and learning technologies are separated into two ways of delivery: synchronous learning and asynchronous learning. In synchronous learning, all members are ”present” simultaneously. In this regard, it appears like conventional class room teaching methods despite the members being located remotely. It requires a schedule to be organized. In asynchronous learning, members access course materials flexibly on their own schedules.

Defining Distance Education

Distance education needs to be clearly defined and understood for a variety of reasons. Without a clear meaning, significant discussion and analysis on pedagogy cannot occur. Furthermore, a precise meaning is important for both teachers and students when thinking about distance education and learning. Interpreting distance education and learning is made more difficult because the development of this type of education has changed quickly from first-generation correspondence education and learning to fifth-generation intelligent flexible learning. Furthermore, there are multiple published explanations. Before developing a usable meaning, it is helpful to see how distance education’s meaning has been both created and pushed up to now.

Valentine talks about distance-learning explanations by discovering colleagues’ differing views. He declares, “Greenberg (1998) describes contemporary online learning as planned teaching/learning experiences that used a wide variety of technologies to reach the student at a distance and is designed to encourage student interaction and documentation of learning.” However, Valentine’s notes that Greenberg’s meaning doesn’t address whether the student is learning asynchronously or synchronously. Valentine says that Teaster and Bliezner’s (1999) meaning makes clear that distance education and learning happens when the student is separate in space and possibilities. But the author features that technological innovation isn’t mentioned at all in Teaster and Bliezner’s meaning.

Middle States Commission on Higher Education (2009) describes online learning as “an educational process in which all or the majority of the instruction happens with the instructor and student in different locations.” In this meaning, Center States makes no mention of technological innovation or whether learning is going on asynchronously or synchronously. In evaluating Keegan’s meaning, Valentine says, “Keegan (1995) gives the most thorough meaning. He says that distance education and learning and training result from the technological separation of instructor and student, which liberates the student from the necessity of traveling to ‘a set position, at a set time, to meet a set person, in order to be trained’.” While Keegan’s meaning of online learning is indeed thorough, it is not able to determine education and learning. Learning and education do differ. Furthermore, for successful research to begin, defining online education and learning is imperative.

New Developments in Distance Education

The U. S. army has been at the leading edge of new improvements in distance education and is one of its biggest users throughout the world. In the 70’s, the U.S. Army’s Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) use of correspondence education and studying had improved to a point that it was working one of the biggest U. S. post offices in Fort Eustis, Virginia to keep up with the requirement globally. These days, The Army Correspondence Course Program (ACCP) is approved by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) and is accountable for the official nonresident expansion curricula of the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command.

In the last two years, all branches of the military have intensely implemented the use of telecom satellite and the internet to provide various kinds of training and education and studying via video conferencing and web-based applications. In inclusion, the Distance Education Program (DEP) at the US Military War College provides an extensive program of training that result in the award of the Graduation Certificate as well as the Master of Strategic Study degree. The DEP is approved by the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, as a program for joint education and studying, Phase I Senior Level (JPME I). The Distance Education Program needs 15 hours of study weekly that is provided via the internet.

The College of Distance Education (CDE) is the academic outreach program of the Naval War College. It provides executive-level education and studying to officers of the various military services and to senior workers of the Department of Defense and other Government departments. Three distribution techniques widely-used to by the College: faculty-led night workshops, a web-enabled program, and a CD-ROM centered correspondence program. These programs mirror, to a degree, this method of research provided to resident learners at the College’s Newport campus. The Air Force Institute for Advanced Distributed Learning (AFIADL) was recognized in 2000 “to display identification of the significance of online and advanced distributed education” according to Kim Bowling, then the Colonel of USAF and Commander of AFIADL.

Distance Learning in the 21st Century

The emergence of the knowledge economy had a powerful effect on business and education and studying. First, technology greatly affected training, educating, studying and handling practices. Companies were able to eliminate middle managers whose primary function was sending information between the top management and front line workers. Companies went “flat,” when leading supervisors could directly connect with front line workers using information technology innovation. Also, workers who were directly engaged in production or providing services were included in “quality circles” to share the pressure of handling the company with the managing class. This “downsizing” or “rightsizing” of the company also removed the stand up instructor in many organizations. Training could be placed on the World Wide Web, without the need for an instructor or company to present such details to students. Further, workers could access instruction at their convenience thus reducing time they would spend away from their projects in training, at times hundreds of kilometers away from their work stations. This way of training, known as distance learning, was developed in the organization separate of the theoretical and practical improvements in distance education in European countries and the United States. Concept and practice of online studying in educational surroundings strongly prescribed connections with an instructor and highlighted its importance. Nevertheless, the telecom and computer nexus allowed some businesses to incorporate training with working, giving rise to new ideas, such as, just-in-time training. This was obtained in certain cases through the creation of performance support systems, which directly allowed workers to link studying to projects at hand.

Today distance education is successful among home school students, K-12 educational institutions and universities, many of which require synchronous or asynchronous connections with an instructor while depending on instruction on the Web. Distance education, however has grown extremely in organizations and government organizations, including the army, where there is little or no interaction with an instructor.

While the number of those who are engaged in various forms of distance learning may pale in comparison to those who are studying in traditional ways, the important aspect is the steady rate at which distance students are increasing. If current trends continue, it will be just a matter of time for online studying to become the prominent way of studying and educating.

Increase of Distance Education Popularity

Nearly 22,000 students registered in online learning applications or distance education courses through South Dakota’s community colleges during the 2012-13 school year, up 8.5% from the year before and up 65% overall during the last five years. The reported numbers were discussed by the state Board of Regents, whose members govern the community colleges. Students in distance programs in the last year most frequently were undergraduates (75.5%), part-timers (69.9%) and female (64%). The University of South Dakota had the largest slice of online learning with 34.4% of the registration and nearly 38% of the applications.

South Dakota State University was right behind in registration at 33.4%, followed by Black Hills State University at 13.2, Northern State University 9.2, Dakota State University 7.8 and South Dakota School of Mines and Technology 2.0. Distance education covers a variety of delivery methods. Some are available solely through the Internet; others combine Internet and video technology and also involve correspondence and there are classroom programs at off-campus locations. Students getting distance programs increasingly tend to be from outside South Dakota.

The 6,394 non-residents came from almost every state in the nation last year and represented just shy of 30% of the total getting distance programs. Five years earlier, the number was 2,399, just under 24%. Non-degree seeking learners comprised 30.9% of undergraduates and 61.4% of graduate-level learners in distance education programs last year. Nursing, elementary education, pre-nursing and biology were the top four degree-specific programs for undergraduates. Among degree-specific programs, learners registered most often in education administration, business, administrative studies and curriculum and education.

4 Key Things to Look For in Distance Education

Here are the 4 things you need to look for in distance education.

Decide your major. This should be the first filter in deciding. This research should be along with information about a college’s academic popularity. The organization should be domestically approved to guarantee that applications will transfer and that the levels earned will be recognized by all other organizations of college. Other essential concerns are graduation prices, internship opportunities, positioning prices and assistance for technology.
Be sure there is participation from regular, full-time staff. The dedication of full-time staff contributes validity and reliability to your degree while also enhancing your fulfillment and achievements. Knowing how the program in distance education is developed and evaluated will help you create an informed choice about programs. Preferably, faculty who design and provide programs online are well-connected with the organization, are devoted to its objective and educate in its conventional types. Heavy dependency on adjunct staff, who provide applications designed by others, makes a detachment in the studying and educating process. The accessibility to services that support student learning such as exclusive work hours, on the internet training and help desk assistance is vital to guaranteeing college student achievements in online programs.
Examine guidelines and methods. Take a good look at guidelines, particularly those, which illustrate the dedication of the organization to the achievements of its online learners. Versatility and knowing about the circumstances of life that occur and guidelines that illustrate this understanding are critical! What happens when you need to get rid of your studies to attend a sick child?
Seek universities that definitely motivate participation. Engaging on the internet learners in essential customs, events and festivities improves your overall academic experience. Nothing better shows the importance of online learners to the objective and future of an organization than including them in the events that make up its material and tell its story!