Distance Learning in India - Its Role in Democratization of Education

The distance education or 'technology-mediated learning' in India, although regarded as alternative mode of education, has a very significant role to play. Distance learning institutes are a platform for continuing education for all those who had to take up jobs early. By making learning materials available at your home and reducing the cost of education, distance-learning courses in India are actually playing the very important role of democratizing education in the country. The application of high-end technologies and growing popularity of online education can in fact free distance education from all the ills that it suffers at the moment.

Distance Education Institutes in India: There are at present quite a good number of distance education institutes in India that offer various academic and professional courses. There is, at present, one National Open University- Indira Gandhi National Open University, IGNOU and thirteen state open universities. However, most states also have dual mode Universities that allow them to offer correspondence courses in India. The number of dual mode Universities recognized by the Distance Education Council (DEC), a statutory authority for promotion and coordination of the Open University and distance education system and for the determination of its standard, in different states are mentioned below-

Andhra Pradesh- 14, Arunachal Pradesh- 1, Assam- 2, Bihar- 4, Chattishgarh 1,Delhi- 3, Gujarat-1, Haryana-4, Himachal Pradesh- 1, Jammu & Kashmir- 2, Karnataka- 10, Kerala- 4, Madhya Pradesh- 8, Maharashtra- 13, Meghalaya- 1, Orissa- 5, Puducherry- 1, Punjab- 5, Rajasthan- 3, Sikkim- 1, Tamil Nadu- 18, Tripura- 1, Uttar Pradesh- 8, Uttarakhand- 2, West Bengal- 6.

Apart from these institutes, the Symbiosis Center for Distance Learning, Pune and IMT Distance and Open Learning Institute, Ghaziabad are also approved by the Distance Education Council of India.

In order to make distance-learning courses affordable and available for children a National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) was also formed. Gradually, State Open Schools and State Centers for Open Learning were also established. In 1997, the National Consortium for Open Schooling, NCOS was established to co-ordinate and systematize the interaction between different open schooling agencies.

Democratization of Education: Distance learning courses in India serve different purpose to different people. While the urban youth is attracted to the correspondence courses as they allow them to continue their jobs while pursuing education, millions of rural youth find it attractive, as they cannot afford to relocate themselves. Another factor that has made the distance learning courses popular is that the course fee of these courses are also much lesser than the regular courses. Thus, one can take up an MBA or Journalism and Miscommunication or any other professional course at quite a low cost. Thus, the distance learning courses have come as a boon for not only the urban youth of the country but also for large number of bright young people of the rural areas. For example of the 1.5 million enrolled students of the Indira Gandhi National Open University, a large number of them belong to the disadvantaged sections of the society. The National Institute of Open Schooling, by providing various academic and vocational courses have contributed a lot in integrating the physically handicapped and all those children who can not afford to attend regular classes. Thus, the distance learning institutes in India, by making various need based programme available at doorsteps at affordable price, playing a very important role in the process of democratization of the education system in India.

Conclusion:
Education for all has become all the important in India to cater to the human resource needs of various industries of the Indian economy as well as to strengthen its democratic roots. Sustaining eight percent economic growth would not be possible for long without educating the poor and disadvantaged sections of the society. And it is distance learning in India that can make quality education available at affordable price. Therefore, distance-learning institutes, by making use of high-end technologies can make equitable development possible and strengthen the democratic roots of the country. As for millions of Indians, distance learning is not an alternative mode of education, but the only mode of education.

vivek Gupta
http://www.indiaedu.com

Surviving the Distance Learning Experience

Are you looking to or have recently enrolled in a distance learning school and are now biting your nails at the thought of having to manage your time by yourself? That is the worry of many who dive head-first into this educational option only to realize they procrastinate so much that they won't make it to their own funeral on time. It leaves them to wonder how they will manage their time well enough to complete assignments without constant harassment from a professor. I speak from experience in saying, it can be done, but it will take a lot of organization - and a little growing up.

I have been attending a distance learning university for almost a year now, and in the later months it became a breeze - but in the beginning it was a challenge for me. While I loved the independence of learning outside of a classroom setting, I was not the best at managing my time - I had procrastination issues. "Oh, I'll get to it tomorrow," I kept telling myself, until "tomorrow" was my assignment's due date. I had to develop a plan to manage my time better - which I did - and now I would like to share some of what I learned with you so that you won't fall under the brunt of the distance learning experience.

Set up a Schedule and Stick to It

Depending on the structure of your distance learning program, your freedom in turning in assignments might be rather flexible. For my school, I am obligated to turn in a group of assignments by the end of each month; however I can turn in assignments anytime in the month if I so please. While initially I thought I would just finish all of my assignments for the semester in the first few months and get it all out of the way, I was wrong. I enjoyed the freedom that came along with the schedule and before I knew it I wanted to go to the park and visit my friends instead of do my homework. Once I recognized the problem, I set up a schedule to have a certain amount of work done each week, whether it was the assigned readings or a paper. That way, by the end of the month, I was making final edits to my work instead of just getting started.

Keep Yourself Busy When Not Studying

This was a big issue for me because I'd recently left a job that was downsizing and pretty much let me know my time was limited. I'd wanted to go back to school anyway, so I left my job and began my distance learning education unemployed. Initially, I thought it would be a good idea because I had money saved in the bank and the time would allow me to focus my energy on school. However, I quickly began to realize that I had too much time and too little school work. While it didn't seem possible for graduate-level studies, it was. So I relished in my free time and kept putting off my homework until, before I knew it, I was scrambling to finish my assignments.

To solve this problem, I began to work part time. This gave me a deadline-oriented schedule and put pressure on me to study with my remaining time, which actually worked. At the same time, it also put some extra cash in my pockets - not a bad tradeoff. If you don't want to work outside of the home, however, you can always baby sit a child or even volunteer. The main objective is to keep yourself busy with distance learning because if you don't, you might be in danger of impending procrastination.

Don't Get Sidetracked

Studying through a distance learning program unfortunately provides the opportunity to become easily sidetracked, especially when your child tugs at your shirt or a friend stops by to talk about marriage problems. It can be a lot easier to put your work to the side and say "I'll get to it tomorrow." But if you cut yourself this slack, you will soon realize your time is up. To avoid this, make arrangements with your friends and family early so that they understand your obligations. Find someone to watch your child just as you would if you had to attend a traditional university. And explain to your friend that you understand their pain, but between certain hours you have to "go to school." It's important to set those boundaries firmly so everyone, including you, understands how seriously you are taking your education.

Being successful at any university requires good organization and time management skills, but a distance learning education requires even more. The benefits of this type of education can be great however, so don't let anything get in your way. You'll find that if you can get yourself organized for distance learning, you will naturally feel inclined to get organized in other areas of your life - and that's always a plus!

Jeffrey Meier of Jam727 Enterprises at http://www.Jam727.com offers information articles on a wide variety of subjects including Dstant Learning Online at http://www.jam727.com/distantlearning/tips_on_succeeding_with_distance.htm

Distance Learning Firefigher Degrees - Online Fire Science Education

Distance learning or online college classes for a degree in fire science is making it easier for firefighters to obtain entry-level and advanced degrees in fire science. As the fire service progresses and becomes more science based, many departments are requiring additional education and degrees for promotion of firefighters.

An online fire science degree is ideally suited for the professional firefighter who wishes to be promoted into officer positions. Because of a firefighters typical work schedule, it is difficult for the potential student to attend a traditional or campus based college or university. Geographical location is also a road block to obtaining a formal degree in fire science. If the fire house has computer access or wireless capabilities, the firefighter can get and complete assignments online during down time at work.

Depending on the level of degree the student is seeking, classes will include fire behavior, fire suppression, incident command, fire prevention, fire inspection, fire investigation, public safety, hazardous material operations and command, personnel management and other general classes.

An online or distance learning college degree website can provide the student with specific information about schools, fire related classes and specialities that are available. Information about financial aid, requirements, tuition costs, and college support services will be available. Usually an advisor is accessible for further questions.

Promotion up the career ladder will more and more be influenced by the education level of the officer candidate. The forward thinking firefighter can take advantage of this by obtaining an advanced degree in fire science through a distance learning program.

Just click on the following link to get online college degree information. It's fast, it's free, and you're under no obligation. You can get information about many types of online bachelors degree programs from many colleges. They also offer information about programs and schools that offer distance learning online masters degree programs.

Distance Learning Costs

It doesn't mean that the moment you choose to home school your children, the scholastic cost you would have had with public schooling just magically goes away. In truth, this game plan has misled multitudes of parents into home course of study, without them understanding the fact that home schooling on its own is likewise a budgetary bank account. You may devote a lower amount of money than someone who sends his or her daughter to a private classroom; in any case you will absolutely give a lot of capitol towards supporting home schooling.

You most obviously will understand that you need to pay for consistent junior high school elements, which integrate textbooks, paper, pens, and the materials for science experiments. Beside from these, you would empathize with to obtain other belongings to define your home sweet home more favoring to intellectual acquirement in the home. This, perhaps, would make obligatory a higher find of payment. These extras may include a chalkboard, chalk, desks, desk lamps, and chairs. You may in addition be acquainted with to enrich the light and ventilation systems of your home to be sure that these do not detract the your child from learning.

Anyhow, one of the greater costs that home sweet home learning would give rise to is the advancement cost should a working mom select to stay at home sweet home full-time to administer her children's course of study. Depending on the amount of income lost, this resource could greatly affect your normal standard of living and needs to be addressed sooner rather than later. Its best that before even mentioning the idea of home schooling to your children, you would want to discuss with your spouse all of the budget issues. Sit down and take stock in what the pluses and minuses are and what your balance sheet would need to look like if you decided in favor of home schooling.

Carol knows Home Schooling Costs and the exact Cost of Home Schooling per child.

She has an ebook on Home Schooling Cost for parents.

Benefits in Using Online Computer Training and Distance Learning!

With the upsurge of the internet and the need for continuing education and training a niche arose in the market for institutions to deliver content and training over the internet. These organizations created online portals of information and courses covering topics such as IT, Personal Development, Human Resources and Business Skills.

These educational portals are central resources for the delivery of Online Computer Training and Business Skills training to the internet community, offering everything from reporting to assessments.

So why use Online Training:

* Online Training is convenient and flexible, you can take courses anytime, work, home etc. Online Training provides people with an outlet to enjoy a better work life balance, while still learning.

* Distance Learning provides people who are traveling a lot with information on demand, if they need to learn something new they can just login and start learning.

* Training provided through Online Learning is cheaper, in fact its over 90% cheaper than instructor led courses.

* These websites are usually easy to use, all you need is an internet browser. The courses have bookmarks, help sections, tips and tricks and much more. Navigation is simple.

* The course material is usually highly relevant, information that is not required is usually abstracted. The content is clear and precise.

* You should use e-learning because theirs an old adage Knowledge is Power. The knowledge you have the more opportunities will come your way, beside that e-learning is fun and easy to use.

* E-learning is interactive by its nature, courses have simulations (graphical simulations of how to do things) and assessments.

* E-learning courses are usually assessment driven, provides a way of tracking your progress. If you notice your progress is not good you can go back and start that lesson again.

LearningSteps.com Online Learning - LearningSteps.com Computer Training and Distance Learning Tutorials. - Web Directory

Nursing Shortage and Distance Education Nursing Programs

Distance education nursing programs could help alleviate the nursing shortage in the US. We are currently experiencing a critical nursing shortage that is stretching healthcare to its limits. You would think we could alleviate the shortage by training more nurses, but therein lies the problem. There are plenty of qualified applicants for the available spots in nursing schools. We simply don't have enough nursing educators to teach them.

Nursing is a scientifically rigorous discipline with the added requirement of hands-on technical skills. Nursing education has a classroom component and a clinical component. Distance learning nursing programs have been available for years, but providing the clinical component of the curriculum continues to be problematic.

The minimum degree for a nursing educator is a masters in nursing (MSN). Distance learning programs that prepare existing nurses to be nurse educators could be the solution to the nursing shortage.

There is currently little incentive for BSN prepared nurse to continue their education. Graduate education in nursing is expensive and rigorous. It is very difficult for a working nurse to find the time, energy and resources for school. And he has little reason to do so; BSN prepared nurses have most of the same opportunities as MSN prepared nurses, and make about the same amount of money. Education is one of the few areas that they can't find employment in, and most nursing educators make less money than BSN prepared hospital nurses.

There are two ways that distance education nursing programs can help.

RN to MSN Programs

RN's who do not have a BSN do have limited career opportunities. It is more difficult for them to advance into management and specialty areas, and this is an incentive for them to go back to school and get a degree. RN to BSN programs make it relatively easy for working nurses to get a degree. Many are available as distance learning programs, and they are configured for working adults.

RN's who apply for those programs could be encouraged to enter RN to MSN programs instead. RN to MSN programs already exist. We could use those programs to prepare more nursing educators by making it easier to complete them and by recruiting more nurses into them. When an RN expresses interest in an RN to BSN program, perhaps he could be offered entrance into an RN to MSN program instead.

BSN to PhD Programs

There isn't a lot of incentive for MSN prepared nurses to teach. Perhaps that means that we should recruit more nurses into doctoral programs. PhD prepared nursing educators do have more opportunities and make more money than MSN prepared educators. Perhaps we should recruit BSN prepared nurses into doctoral programs instead of trying to convince them to pursue a masters degree.

Preparing more nursing educators is the only answer to the nursing shortage, and distance education nursing programs for graduate study are a viable way to do that.

Dean Iggo is the webmaster of a Online High School Courses website where you can find the best online learning programs and degrees to suit your needs including online math courses and more.

Distance Learning: A New Way to Get Your Degree

Do you long to go back to school, but live miles away from the nearest university? Are you a busy working professional with time constraints? Then using Distance Learning to earn your degree may be the answer!

Distance education used to mean getting courses via snail mail or on videotape. Well, today you are in the right place at the right time. Distance education is now online learning, and is a reality for anyone interested in continuing their education or stepping up their career. You can even earn a degree online.

What distance education now means is that you can access educational programs and not have to physically be in a classroom on a campus. Through such technologies as cable or satellite television, videotapes and audiotapes, fax, computer modem, computer conferencing, videoconferencing--all through the internet online--and other means of electronic delivery, the classroom comes to you-sometimes even if you're sitting in your room in your bunny slippers and it's 2 in the morning.

Distance learning expands the reach of the classroom by using various technologies to deliver university resources to off-campus sites, transmit college courses into the workplace, and enable you to view class lectures in the comfort of your home. Online learning is now a viable alternative to a traditional degree.

Where and How Can I Take Distance Learning Courses?

The technology for new, cheaper telecommunications technology is getting better all the time, and there is a growing demand for education by people who cannot afford either the time or money to be a full-time, on-campus student. To fill that demand, educational networks also are growing and changing how and when you can access college courses. Most states have established new distance learning and online learning systems to advance the delivery of instruction to schools, postsecondary institutions, and state government agencies.

Colleges and universities are collaborating with commercial telecommunication entities, including online information services, such as America Online and cable and telephone companies, to provide education to far-flung student constituencies. Professions such as law, medicine, and accounting, as well as knowledge-based industries, are utilizing telecommunications networks for the transmission of customized higher education programs to working professionals, technicians, and managers.

Ways in Which Distance Learning May Be Offered:

o Credit courses. In general, if these credit courses are completed successfully, they can be applied toward a degree.

o Noncredit courses and courses offered for professional certification. These programs can help you acquire specialized knowledge in a concentrated, time-efficient manner and stay on top of the latest developments in your field. They provide a flexible way for you to prepare for a new career or study for professional licensure and certification. Many of these university programs are created in cooperation with professional and trade associations so that courses are based on real-life workforce needs, and the practical skills learned are immediately applicable in the field.

The Way Distance Learning Works

Enrolling in a distance learning course may simply involve filling out a registration form, making sure that you have access to the equipment needed, and paying the tuition and fees by check, money order, or credit card. In these cases, your applications may be accepted without entrance examinations or proof of prior educational experience.

Other courses may involve educational prerequisites and access to equipment not found in all geographic locations. Some institutions offer detailed information about individual courses, such as a course outline, upon request. If you have access to the Internet and simply wish to review course descriptions, you may be able to peruse an institution's course catalogs electronically by accessing the institution's home page on the Web.

Time Requirements

Some courses allow you to enroll at your convenience and work at your own pace. Others closely adhere to a traditional classroom schedule. Specific policies and time limitations pertaining to withdrawals, refunds, transfers, and renewal periods can be found in the institutional catalog.

http://www.educationonline.com/distance-learning-new-way-to-get-your-degree