IGNOU organises orientation programme for DEC academics
06 June, 2012
The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) organised a three day orientation programme for 15 newly appointed Deputy Directors and Assistant Directors of the Distance Education Council (DEC). The training organised by IGNOU’s Staff Training and Research Institute of Distance Education (STRIDE) and DEC aims to expose the participants with broad theoretical framework in which the Open Distance Learning (ODL) system operates.
The orientation familiarised them with the structure and governance of open and distance education institutions as well as acquainted them with various tasks, functions, mechanisms and procedures of DEC.
A set of 16 handbooks was developed by STRIDE on various themes of ODL and each participant was provided with one. In the inaugural address, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. M. Aslam laid down five important issues for the newly appointed staff. “What are the conditions on which an institution qualifies as a distance education provider? You should have the parameters clear,” he said while bringing forth the need to coordinate and facilitate. He emphasized on developing a pool of resources and maintaining a standard set of guidelines.
“If a committee completes its visit in an institution then how to draft its report?” he elaborated while emphasizing upon the necessity of job training.
Prof. Basanti Pradhan, Director, STRIDE, brought forward the responsibilities of STRIDE and emphasized the need for innovation in education. “If DEC and STRIDE work together for a common goal then it can help to synthesize the educational resources.”
The Programme Coordinator for this programme, Prof. C. R. K. Murthy, STRIDE, asked the participants to relate the concepts taught in the workshop with their daily responsibilities and interact with the resource persons accordingly. Dr. Nandini Lele, Director, DEC, felt that this workshop shall help the staff to empower their role as a facilitator and regulator of distance education.
The orientation covered topics such as ODL institutions in India: structure and governance, credit system in ODL and credit transfer scheme of DEC, major sub-systems of ODL: course, design and development, funding of ODL institutions and pattern of expenditure, recognition, assessment and accreditation of ODL institutions and challenges before the ODL system.
