Page 250 - DEDU501_DEVELOPMENT_OF_EDUCATION_SYSTEM_ENGLISH

Development of Education System Dinesh Kumar, Lovely Professional University

Notes Unit 26: Distance Education : Concept, Need and

Modes of Distance Education

CONTENTS
Objectives
Introduction
26.1 Distance Education and its Nomenclature
26.2 Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)
26.3 Problems of Distance Education and Measures for Strengthening
26.4 The Interaction Modes in Distance Education
26.5 Some well Known open Universities of the India
26.6 Summary
26.7 Keywords
26.8 Review Questions
26.9 Further Readings

Objectives

The objectives of this unit can be summarized as below:
• to discuss about the distance education and its nomenclature
• to discuss about the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)
• to explain about the problems of distance education and measures for strengthening
• to discuss about the interaction modes in distance education
• to describe about some well known open universities of the india

Introduction
Distance learnings (education) is a modern system of non-formal education. It is imparted
through correspondence or postal courses, contact, electronics media like radio, television,
video and audio cassettes etc. and other audio-visual aids. Distance education is the method of
learning at one’s own pace in one’s own time, without the boundaries of the formal class room
and without the formal presence of the teacher.

26.1 Distance Education and its Nomenclature

Distance education as the name indicates is a form of education in which there is usually a long
distance between the learner and the teacher (The word 'long' is a relative term and it has no
limits). It is in a sense a remote control system of education wherein the learner and the teacher
may not be face to face. They are separate by physical distance. Some of the important definitions
of distant education are given below:
1. In the words of Dohmen (1967) "Distance education is a systematically organised form of
self-study in which student counselling, the presentation of learning material and the
securing and supervising of students success is carried out by a team of teachers, each of
whom has responsibilities. It is made possible at a distance by means of media which
can cover long distances. The opposite of 'distance education' is 'direct education', or
'face-to-face education': a type of education that takes place with direct contact between
lecturers and students."

244 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY