Science Education Through Open and Distance Learning at Higher Educational Level

Year 2007, Volume: 8 Issue: 4, 20 - 33, 01.12.2007

Amrita Nıgam Vibha Joshı

Abstract

The changes faced by the society in the past few decades brought revolution in all areas. The job requirements have undergone change tremendously. The emergence of e-culture, e-education, e-governance, e-training, e-work sites and so on questioned the capacity of conventional face to face education in catering to all and relevance of existing job related skills to a great extent in the emerging global society. Today, every one has to update his/her educational and/or professional skills and competencies to cope up with the emerging work challenges. This is more so in the field of science and technology. At the same time, it is impossible to cater to educational and training opportunities to one and all those who aspire for it through the conventional set up. The distance and open learning (ODL) seems to be one of the viable alternatives. Today, the success and viability of ODL is accepted globally. Coulter (1989), through a study demonstrated that ODL is a cost-effective medium in providing educational opportunities. Similarly Holmberg (1981) also mentioned ODL as a systematic teaching-learning medium by using variety of medium for imparting learning. The present study is an attempt to study the experiences of the open science learners of IGNOU on different aspect of the science higher education. Here a questionnaire was used to collect the data and responses from 81 students enrolled for B. Sc. from IGNOU were collected. The findings of the study reported that society has undergone drastic changes in the last few decades. The revolution led due to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have widely affected all aspects of society. The emerging jobs require entirely new skills and competencies i.e., employment in BPOs or switching over to e-governance, e-Banking and e- based sectors. Even e-learning has made numerous expectations from teachers and other personnel. The use of ICTs in almost every field needs adequately trained workers so that they can work efficiently and effectively. The training and retraining avenues in the conventional system is grossly inadequate to cope up with the present and future demands. In this situation open and distance education is the available alternative.

Keywords

BSc Degree; Intensive Practical Work; Women students; Distance Teaching-Learning Methodology; Academic Counselling; Communication Technologies

References

• Alsanian, Carol B. 1988. How Americans in Transition Study for College Credit. New York: College Board. Office of Adult Learning Services.
• Coulter, R. 1989. “ Women and Distance Education: Towards a feminist Perspective” in R. Sweet (ed), Post-secondary Distance Education in Canada: Policies, Practices and Priorities, pp 11-22, Edmonton: Athabasca University.
• Hipp, H. Women studying at a distance: what do they need to succeed? Journal of Open and Distance Learning. 12(2), pp., June, 1997
• Holmberg, B. 1981. Status and Trends of Distance Education, London: Kogan Page.
• International Conference on Adult Learning at the UNESCO Institute of Education, Hamburg, 1997 (1)
• Open and distance women learners in science and technology: A case study of IGNOU, Hema Pant and Vibha Joshi. OSAC Journal of Open Schooling, 2 (2), NIOS, New Delhi. Rice, K. Joy. 1994. “Women welfare and Continuing Higher Education: Policy Perspectives; Journal of Continuing Higher Education, 42 (1) (Winter):2-9
• Science, Technology and Outreach Courses by Distance Education, A Workshop Report, Bangkok, 1989(2)