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Educational Technology

Notes systems are unable to pay for these services due to lack of funds or payment is done at lower rate due
to which activities of institution lacks quality. It has an indirect effect on distance students and they lose
interest in distance education. Therefore it is necessary for the institution that all these contact services
should be streamlined through its controlled system.
(3) Library and Study Centre Services—It is the duty of every distance institution to maintain library
and Study Centres. There should include all the important books and magazines. Study centres should
provide instruction and suggestion services, due to which students can work hard in their courses, can
study good and useful literature and make the use of available benefits. These services are important

because the learning materials do not fulfil the requirements of students. There should be some

complementary study material for students.
(4) Software and Hardware Services—Every distance education institution uses various software and
hardware to make study material more effective. These are forwarded to study centres where students
can directly use them. Students’ services are required in order to use these software and hardware
services.
(5) Personal Contact Programme Services—In distance education, personal contact programme
services also come under the student services. Students have a lot of problem when they come into
these personal contact programmes. Therefore, distance institution that are running these contact
programmes require to make possible effort in order to solve the problems of the students and there
should be some appropriate system. If needed, every distance institution should send his candidate to
every study centre where contact programmes are organized who can satisfy students by solving their
problems, needs and diffi culties.
(B) Specific Support Services in Distance Education

Following services are included in this—
(1) Services in Home Assignment—Home assignment has its own importance in distance education.
Generally, submission of Home assignment is necessary for every course of distance education. Students
are not allowed to give examination without submitting home assignments. Therefore, distance
education institution require to make arrangement due to which—
(i) Students can get home assignment on time.
(ii) Students should be given appropriate instruction and directions–how to complete home
assignments.

(iii) Home assignments should be evaluated by a qualified teacher. Method of assessment should
be made clear to both the teacher and students in order to remove misunderstandings.
(iv) Evaluated home assignment should be given back to the students in time. It should be properly
altered and comments and suggestion are required to be given.
Such system should be organized at study centres so that students can receive proper counselling and
guidance related to their home assignment, problems and diffi culties.
(2) Services Related to Course Material—Distance education institution uses both the printed and
unprinted course materials. Sometime students feel that the course material is not appropriate or there

are problems in understanding a unit or course is incomplete and unspecific, to whom they should
communicate etc., they should be given solution, suggestion and instruction at the study centres for
these problems. There should be some provisions for these problems.
(3) Services related to Study Skills—Due to the lack of study skills, many students are unable to study
printed course materials. These students want to talk to someone and feel teacher’s help. Instruction
and suggestion services should be provided to these student that how to improve their reading skills,
due to which they can study in an effective way. Distance education institutions or their study centres
must have a system in which individual students should be given the knowledge of reading and

study skills by a qualified and trained person and they should be taught how to use them.

246 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY

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Educational Technology 246
Educational Technology 246 29/07/13 10:22 PM