The Latest Technology and the Distance Learning Education

Reference & EducationCollege & University

  • Author Ryan Roy
  • Published October 31, 2008
  • Word count 561

Distance education is a breakthrough in higher education that has received worldwide attention. Online learning is a perfectly suited option for today's university population. Students, faculty, and administrators alike have enjoyed the advantages of distance education.

Students enjoy the convenience of taking a class online, when and where they want and, for the most part, are able to set their own schedule. Faculty teaching online courses enjoy the flexibility to work from home or other places rather than in the classroom and have enjoyed the diversion from the typical "chalk-and-talk" style lectures of a traditional classroom setting. Administrators of distance learning university like BHARTIYA SHIKSHA PARISHAD UTTAR PRADESH have certainly enjoyed the increased potential of revenue generation through the use of offering courses at a distance. Now students may take courses from a university across the country or even in another country, and never leave their own home. Student Affairs administrators are charged with the responsibility to provide "out of the classroom" or co-curricular services to students within the university. These services include social, educational, and recreational programming; counseling and health services; disability services; and academic assistance like tutorial services, study skills assistance etc. Students who are supported by these types of "out of the classroom" services are better retained from year to year and enjoy the benefits of a

fuller, richer, and more well-rounded education. The BHARTIYA SHIKSHA PARISHAD UTTAR PRADESH, located in the India offers several programs of study, including online or web-enabled courses being offered in most, if not all, programs. The Students of www.bspuplko.org who have been taking courses always enjoy Distance learning classes as well as online exams. They never physically present on the campus property. This researcher began to think critically about how distance learners could be better assisted from a student affairs perspective. Upon researching this issue, it has been found that student services for distance learners are practically non-existent.

The question is "why aren't support services being offered to distance learners? If the literature reveals that students survive and, in fact, thrive when supported by the types of services offered by student affairs professionals, why is this problem being overlooked? It is for those reasons that I have chosen to investigate this problem among our distance learning students at www.bspuplko.org .The purpose of this study was to assess the types of co-curricular student services needed for distance learning students and to determine ways in which these services may be implemented. The research questions for this study were:

  1. What types of co-curricular support services do distance learning students? 2. Why have the Universities been slow to effectively implement co-curricular services for distance education students? This researcher used a mixed methodology, utilizing both qualitative and quantitative methods involving distance learning students aspiring for undergraduate and graduate degrees in study and the faculty and administrators responsible for teaching, administering, and implementing those courses. This research design included an online questionnaire for students, as well as a series of interviews with the faculty and administrators of the College. In addition, the researcher explored the extant biographical and demographical data available through the University's student information database. The diversity of the learners and courses provided rich data throughout this study. Through the research, this researcher gained an understanding of the critical factors necessary to design and implement useful and meaningful student services for distance learners.

Resource: BHARITYA SIKSHA PARISHAD UTTAR PRADESH

(Department of Distance Education)

http:// www.bspuplko.org

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