Examines the relationship between attendance in personal contact programs (PCPs) and achievement in open distance education. The sample consisted of 83 secondary level students of National Open School (NOS), India. Findings indicate a positive correlation between attendance in the PCPs and learner performance. (AEF)

In this paper, the authors discuss about the Indian learning traditions and the role played by teachers in imparting education. They discuss the efforts played by government in enhancing education, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) contribution in spreading literacy, various learning traditions from past to present such as "Gurukula,…

The changes faced by the society in the past few decades brought revolution in all areas. The job requirements have undergone change tremendously. The emergence of e-culture, e-education, e-governance, e-training, e-work sites and so on questioned the capacity of conventional face to face education in catering to all and relevance of existing job…

The question why some learners successfully study through distance mode and others do not is increasingly becoming important as open and distance learning (ODL) has come to occupy a prominent place in providing higher education to large segments of the population in India. With barely 1112 students studying through distance mode in 1962, the…

This third publication on the theme of quality in the Commonwealth of Learning Perspectives on Distance Education series widens the discussion beyond external quality assurance processes to a more generic focus on a "culture of quality." It is an extension of the earlier two publications, which came out in 1994 and 1997 and drew…

There is a need for a flexible education program with structured curriculum comparable to the formal system designed to meet the needs of children with disabilities. Flexibility in the open learning system in the selection of subject, selection of study center, credit accumulation, evaluation, and certification will encourage children with…

Examines vital design issues pertaining to the "Online Self-Test," a simple solution for dealing with concerns about lack of time and lack of motivation in distance education. Presents experiences gained during the implementation of the Online Self-Test Center for Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University, Nashik, India, and…

A private alternative school in the slums of New Delhi (India) is committed to ending female child labor and ensuring that its students don't grow up poor. The school was able to enroll girls in its all-female afternoon classes by getting their mothers involved in income-generating cooperatives. The students often outperform their peers in state…

As defined by the Commonwealth of Learning (COL), Open Schooling involves "the physical separation of the school-level learner from the teacher, and the use of unconventional teaching methodologies, and information and communications technologies (ICTs) to bridge the separation and provide the education and training". Within this…

The educational philosophies of Maria Montessori and Jiddu Krishnamurti are compared and contrasted in this paper. The discussion is based on texts by both educators and direct observation of some of the schools (United States, Australia and India) where these ideas are being implemented. First, general principles of each educator are discussed.…

Twenty-five papers presented at the conference include papers on the role of the site coordinator in a distributed education network in Ontario; student support systems in the Open University of Israel; the dilemmas of designing a computer mediated communication support system; interactive libraries; tutoring in technical science in the Open…

A tour to obtain a broad picture of the state of development of adult education in cities of the United States, of Canada, of India, and of the United Kingdom is described. The objectives of the tour were to examine: (1) the provision made for residential adult education overseas (the U.S.); (2) the relationship between the various agencies…

The National Literacy Mission Authority has begun pilot testing an innovative open distance education program for newly literate individuals in 20 districts of India. Using open and distance education where literacy is at its infancy is feasible because newly literate persons can manage to read printed material and have the motivation to read and…

Discusses the evolution of the educational system in India, developments in new communication technologies, and plans by the open and distance education system to develop educational networks. Policies and programs adopted by the Distance Education Council are outlined. (AEF)

American responses to educational problems faced around the globe can serve as models for developing nations. The following characteristics of American education with particular relevance for education in developing nations have been organized as inputs, structures and strategies, and outputs. Inputs to the system of American education, defined in…