Open and Distance Education System and Learner Support Services: An Introduction

Abstract

The system of distance education was developed to fulfil the educational needs of all the segments of population. Through this system, a gap has been bridged of those people who could not get higher education due to various personal, social, economic constraints. Through this system that population was covered which due to some cultural or geographical hardships could not get education by linking themselves with the mainstream of population. If we go through the pages of history, we can find that the system of distance education has a long history of its development, and at the initial stage, it was commenced in Western countries. In the present chapter, an effort has been made to trace the history of evolution of distance education system at global level. It is also discussed in this chapter how this system has witnessed its changes at the global level both in the developed and in the developing countries. In the distance education system, there is geographical separation of teacher and taught. In addition to it, socio-psychological factors affect the learners in their learning and completing the course. The socio-psychological factors include language, culture, motivation, inadequate skills, anxiety, time and work. Distance learners, therefore, need various support services that would help them to be successful learners. For encouraging the students to get education through distance education system, a mechanism has been developed so that assistance may be provided to them so that they may not feel themselves as isolated. This system also fosters the learners for their personal development and the accomplishment of learning goals. Within this framework, the interrelationships with open and distance education structures and processes are analysed and discussed. Due to the globalization, various changes have also been noticed with the passage of time. It is also discussed how the incorporation of educational technology with student support services can be helpful in the process of teaching and learning, starting from the initial stage when the students make an entry in the system till they complete the programme. This is possible only due to the rise of the latest technology, for example, due to the use of information and communication technologies, and their incorporation in student support services strengthens still further the globalization power of the system of open and distance education.