Distance Education

Distance education, distance learning, or D-Learning is a mode of delivering education and instruction, often on an individual basis, to students who are not physically present in a traditional setting such as a classroom. Distance learning provides "access to learning when the source of information and the learners are separated by time and distance, or both." Distance education courses that require a physical on-site presence for any reason (including taking examinations) have been referred to as hybrid or blended courses of study. Massive open online courses (MOOCs), aimed at large-scale interactive participation and open access via the web or other network technologies, are a recent development in distance education.

Distance Education, or distance learning, is a field of education that focuses on the pedagogy and andragogy, technology, and instructional systems design that aims to deliver education to students who are not physically "on site".

Distance Education “is a process to create and provide access to learning when the source of information and the learners are separated by time and distance, or both.” In other words, distance learning is the process of creating an educational experience of equal qualitative value for the learner to best suit their needs outside the classroom.

Distance education courses that require a physical on-site presence for any reason including the taking of examinations is considered to be a hybR&D or blended course of study. This emerging technology is becoming widely used in universities and institutions around the globe. With the recent trend of technological advance, distance learning is becoming more recognized for its potential in providing individualized attention and communication with students internationally.

Introduction

For India to emerge as a knowledge super power of the world in the shortest possible time it is imperative to convert our demographic advantage into knowledge powerhouse by nurturing and honing our working population into knowledge or knowledge enabled working population. Human Resource Development would certainly be the key for it to happen.

Objectives of the Mission

The content portion of this Mission would have an ambitious vision of catering to the learning needs of more than 50 crore Indians (working population) and of providing a one stop solution to all the requirements of the learning community. In order to bolster our knowledge resources, to obtain and maintain the competitive edge in the world, we require a system of identification and nurturing of talent and lifelong learning.

Knowledge modules based on the personalized needs of the learner would need to be delivered to him /her at the right time with the right content interactively to take care of his / her aspirations. In due course of time there would be a need to develop and maintain the knowledge and capability profile of every individual learner / worker. Such a system would have to be developed in a cost effective manner over a period of time, integrating, inter-alia the following objectives

Effective utilization of intellectual resources, minimizing wastage of time in scouting for opportunities or desired items of knowledge appropriate to the requirement,

Certification of attainments of any kind at any level acquired through formal or non formal means in conventional or non conventional fields,

Any-time availability of desired knowledge at appropriate levels of comprehension to all for self paced learning,

Platform for sharing of ideas and techniques and pooling of knowledge resources

To provide educational opportunities:

To more number of distance learners from the various age groups.
To different sections of the society, who are for some reason unable to pursue education and bring them into the main stream.
To the female class of the society who have remained deprived because of domestic responsibilities and social restrictions.
To the working class who choose to study at their own place and pace.
To all sections of the society irrespective of caste, religion, gender, area of origin, social and financial status etc.
At affordable costs.
To offer courses of study along with Self Instructional Material, contact sessions, counselling facilities, library and internet facilities through designated Study Centres.

Our endeavor is...

To provide an alternative non-formal channel for higher education.
To reduce the pressure on the conventional university.
To provide a means for continuing and life long education so as to enrich the lives of people.
To provide venues for access to higher education.
To democratize higher education by providing access to large segment of the population particularly the disadvantaged groups such as those living in remote and rural areas, including working people, women and other adults who wish to acquire and upgrade their knowledge and skills through studies in various fields.
To help those who wish to improve their educational qualification and are interested in undertaking advanced studies of their interest without being required to join as full time students.

Full Form:

INC- Indian Nursing Council
PCI- Pharmacy Council of India
DEC- Distance Education Council
DEB - Distance Education Bureau
GNM- General Nursing & Midwifery
UGC- University Grants Commission
ANM- Auxiliary Nursing & Midwifery
PNRC- Punjab Nursing Registration Council
NCVT- National Council for Vocational Training
SCVT- State Council for Vocational Training
AICTE- All India Council for Technical Education
NAAC- National Assessment and Accreditation Council. It is an autonomous body that accredits the various institutions and universities.