Role of Distance learning in the life of disadvantageous groups -A Conceptual
Dr. Chandravathi, M.Com., Ph.D
HOD Commerce & Management
G.F.G.College, Belthangady
D.K District, Karnataka State
Email: chandrasudeep2007@rediffmail.com
Abstract
India enjoys a demographic dividend where more than 60 percent of its population is in the working age group. The youth bulge presents an opportunity for India to enhance its growth and also supply skilled manpower to the rest of the world. Distance learning is an excellent method of reaching the adult learner. It is much more flexible and student centered. Because of the competing priorities of work, home and school adult learners desire high degree of flexibility. The distance mode of education play an important role in meeting the need of such persons who are in great demand of education but cannot complete their education from the regular system of education. Due to certain personal reasons most of adults could not complete their education. Distance learning help the students who are not completed their studies and joined good organizations, in this challenging and competitive world. Distance mode helps them to get success in career. Distance learning is rapidly becoming an alternative to traditional classrooms. Students can benefit from the flexibility that comes with distance learning, and for students who don't have the time or money to attend traditional schools, distance learning can provide a path to higher education. The learners should be made capable of using their potential and capabilities for a happy and stress free life. For this they should be provided with an open and free environment at home as well as in the schools. Distance learning plays very important role in the life of people those who are in employment, women including adults who wish to upgrade their education or acquire knowledge and studies in various fields. So distance learning is more suitable to the disadvantaged groups who are not able to get education through regular learning.
Key words: Distance learning, regular learning, disadvantaged group, women and employees.
Introduction
As per the 2011 census, more than 65% of India’s total population is below the age of 35 years, and 44.2% of the youth population is living below the poverty line and deprived of higher education facilities. Distance learning is an excellent method of reaching the adult learner. It is much more flexible and student centered. Because of the competing priorities of work, home and school adult learners desire high degree of flexibility. The distance mode of education play an important role in meeting the need of such persons who are in great demand of education but cannot complete their education from the regular system of education. Due to certain personal reasons most of adults could not complete their education. Distance learning help the students who are not completed their studies and joined good organizations, in this challenging and competitive world. Distance mode helps them to get success in career. Distance learning is rapidly becoming an alternative to traditional classrooms. Students can benefit from the flexibility that comes with distance learning, and for students who don't have the time or money to attend traditional schools, distance learning can provide a path to higher education. So distance learning plays very important role in the life of disadvantaged people.
Conceptual review
Distance learning is a mode of delivery of education to student who is not physically present in the class room. Students can obtain distance education through university correspondence courses, Open University and internet. Communication, teaching and learning all took place using printed materials sent through the postal mail. India is one developing country, in which a number of open universities have been established. Distance & Open Learning is a distinct approach to impart education to learners who are removed in space and / or time from the teachers or the teaching institution on account of economic and social consideration.
Students who are not in a position to study full-time due to work commitments, family priorities or financial reasons are able to consider studying from home. Distance learning encourages the disadvantaged and weaker sections to acquire essential skills, information and knowledge to cope with the demands of emerging new professions in a fast changing global society.
Who is preferred distance learning?
In general the following categories of students preferred distance learning. They are:
Characteristics of distance learning students
Distance learning and regular learning
Challenges of distance education in India
Five important criteria to choose distance learning programme
The first important point of distance learning programme has to be accredited by a recognized accreditation agency. Only accredited and nationally recognised distance learning programmes lead to an academic degree and are accepted. This agency investigates if the different subjects are combined and coordinated in a meaningful and sensible way that ensures academic standards as well as practical relevance of the study programme. The national recognition is usually done by the Ministry of Education or a similar authority.
One of the most important reasons for distance learning is the higher flexibility compared to a traditional -campus programme. At the time of selection of programme and university, student should see their convenience. Because some of the universities adopt orientation programme and workshops occasionally. Students should adjust their time according to their convenience. This is why distance learning enables you to combine your career with pursuing a degree more easily. However, there are various differences regarding the flexibility depending on which university and which distance learning programme the students can choose. Students should not underestimate that orientation programmes are often leading to high additional costs for travelling, accommodation and can take up a lot of time.
Tuition fees
While selecting different universities and programme tuition fee is one of the important matters. Distance learning programmes are usually a bit cheaper than campus programmes. But there is an extra cost is required for study material or travelling and accommodation costs for orientation programmes. If the students has full tome job, they should adjust their job from full time to part time. This gives more time to focus on studies but you have also to cope with a reduction of income. In combination with high tuition fees, that can quickly lead to financial problems. Some distance learning institutions recognized this issue and offer suitable financing options. It is worth to take those into account when deciding for the right distance learning programme.
Personal support from family is one of the important factors while deciding the course and university. Most of the distance learners are female and employees. They should see the support of the family while selecting the programme. It decides their success or failure of their studies. The quality of personal assistance is a very important factor when choosing a distance learning programme and often decides about success or failure of studies.
For distance learning education, the quality of the study material and the technology are more important than for classroom studies. The widespread use of computers and internet have made distance learning easier and faster. Online meeting software such as Adobe Connect has helped to facilitate distance learning courses.
Advantages and disadvantages of distance learning
Every educational programme has its own merits and demerits. so distance learning has its own merits. They are:
Flexible: Distance learning is much more flexible than traditional styles of classroom education. In case of distance learning courses students can complete their course at anytime and anywhere. There is no need to sitting in classroom in whole day. If there is computer and internet facility, they can easily complete the course. Students who need to take other classes or work can do class work whenever they have a free moment instead of being restricted to a rigid schedule.
Save time and money. Taking a course online can be one way to cut down on the cost. Since students can often work from home to complete their class assignments, both time and money are saved in cutting travelling expenses from home to class.
More opportunities: distance learning helps the students to select variety of universities. Sometime students are far away from the colleges or they are not getting opportunities to study they can select any course and any colleges to complete their education. They can also find online courses or online schools. An online education provides the opportunity to study more subjects and reach out to programs that are not available in the immediate area.
No classroom sitting: Sitting in the classroom is not the best way for every student to learn. A student may learn better at his own pace and in a different format than traditional schooling options offer.
Traveling: A huge advantage to getting an online education is that there is no need to travel to and from class every single day. Someone who doesn’t drive or want to spend money on the costs of public transportation every single day will likely choose to get an online education over the traditional classroom.
Helps to employees: students can complete their course on their own schedule. It is much easier to complete distance learning courses while working than more traditional educational programs. job gives more income, experience and stability and completing course gives advancement in their job.
Distance learning disadvantages
Lack of face to face contact: in classroom environment face to face contact is possible through more interactions, group discussions, chalk and talk methods. Students can clarify their doubt on spot. They can also develop their communication skill and questioning skill.
Not suitable to all jobs: In some job field online degree is not acceptable. Most of the institutions prefer regular learning courses.
No interaction: there is any interaction between the students and also with the faculty. The student should work own to understand the subjects and prepare for the examinations.
Role of distance learning in reducing the stress of the students
Students face stress, having to cope up with demands of their studies. A person who has chosen career faces stress in his office life like never before due to the increasing demands made on his skills, efficiency etc. There is also a lurking fear in the minds of their work force on account of sweeping changes taking place in the economy due to globalization. During the past few years it has been observed that a large number of students coming to suicide. Present education system is focusing on passing of examinations and not developing skill among the students. It creates unnecessary stress among the students for passing the examination rather than giving them freedom to learn according to their convenience. The main focus of all the educational systems has been to get success in terms of passing examinations for getting certificate, degree or diploma within the rigid and fixed conditions. The main objectives of educational institutions to get 100% result. It creates more stress on students.
There are some other reasons also which leads to the stress among the learners, following are some of such reasons:
Role of distance learning in reaching the women
Women all over the world have been categorized under the disadvantaged groups of people. This is where education has been found to be useful as a liberating force and agent of social change especially in developing countries. Open and Distance Learning mode of education becomes imperative as an avenue for educating women within the functional framework of the general lifelong education process. Most of the secondary school leavers do not have access to universities, leaving many thousands without the chance to continue their education in the country. The newly introduced educational paradigm brought new kinds of education mode outside the conventional system in relation to everyday life for adults and young people alike who are on a job and cannot afford leaving their jobs for further educational advancement. Also, those who had earlier missed an opportunity acted as house wives and the women in purdah and also, those incarcerated by the outcomes of their offences and thereby kept in the prisons were provided with a second chance to acquire higher education. There are many groups of women who have been denied access to formal education because of one reason or the other. These examples include women who because of obedience and adherence to Islamic religion practice of purdah or as full time housewives or for other reasons have been denied education. These groups of women have immensely benefited from open and distance mode of educational system.
Conclusion
Distance learning is rapidly becoming an alternative to traditional classrooms. Students can benefit from the flexibility that comes with distance learning, and for students who don't have the time or money to attend traditional schools, distance learning can provide a path to higher education. The learners should be made capable of using their potential and capabilities for a happy and stress free life. For this they should be provided with an open and free environment at home as well as in the schools. So distance learning is more suitable to the disadvantaged groups who are not able to get education through regular learning. Distance learning plays very important role in the life of people those who are in employment, women including adults who wish to upgrade their education or acquire knowledge and studies in various fields.
References