• Dr. Ali Asgar

• The course lays the foundation for understanding the open and distance education (ODE), its nature, scope and characteristic of ODE as a system as well as a discipline of study.
• The course explores and traces the philosophical foundations of distance education; discusses the questions of socio-political credibility of ODE/ODL.
• It also tries to analyse the growth of ODE/ODL at local, national and global spheres; understand socio-economic relevance at local levels, its theories and their implications.
• MDE 411 presents some of the reflections of stalwarts of ODE, to understand distance education deeply which is creating new career avenues for both the teachers and (new) learners in the global era

• Prof. Anita Priyadarshini

Course Introduction: The systematic approach in the design of instruction is a problem-solving process known as instructional development, which requires the identification of instructional needs, strategies, problems and corresponding solutions by means of effective and efficient teaching-learning activities based on relevant objectives. A practitioner of distance education must be informed about the processes and use of the appropriate models and theories and skills required to apply the systemic approach (an input-output-feedback-revision cycle). The objectives of the course are as follows:

• Discuss the concept of learning and instruction and implications of three theories of learning i.e., Behaviouristic School of Thought, Cognitivist School of Thought and Constructivist School of Thought;
• Enumerate different theories and models of instructional design;
• Describe different processes involved in designing instruction for distance learners;
• Explain the instructional design practices in classrooms, open and distance learning, training and e-learning; and
• Develop skills in designing portfolios.

• Prof. Tata Ramakrishna

Learner support services are the most important components of the ODL system. It is important not because of its relation to the Distance Education theories, but it is a key for learners’ success and their relation and persistence in the ODL system. It is a fact that in distance education, there are the geographical separations of teacher and learner. In addition to it, socio-psychological factors affect the learners for their learning and completing the courses. The socio-psychological factors include language, culture, motivation, inadequate skills or preparation, anxiety, time and work or family constraints. Distance learners, therefore, need various support services that would help them to be a successful learner. Learner support services not only bridge socio-psychological distances, but also fosters learners for their personal development and the accomplishment of learning goals. In the light of the separation of the learner from the teacher, the techniques and mechanisms to provide support assume a significant dimension in the teaching-learning transactions through the distance mode. The objectives of the course are as follows:

• Describe the basic principles and methods of learner support;
• Explain the importance of support services in the ODL system;
• Discuss learner support services as a sub-system of any ODL institution;
• Develop some basic skills like study skills, cognitive skills, problem solving skills, reading and writing skills. For promoting self directed learning;
• Organize academic counselling and other support services; and
• Assess and report the performance and progress of distance learners.

• Dr. Gloria Kuzur

Education management is a relatively new discipline, and the function and process associated with education are quite different from those normally associated with any other enterprise. Therefore, a broad familiarity of the organization of the education system, its structures and functions as well as its processes, is very essential to have a better understanding of the tasks associated with the organization and management of distance education. With these objectives in view, we have designed the course on Management of Distance Education. This course gives an overview of Management functions and processes. The introduction to the principles and practices of management is designed to provide you with a broad familiarity with the art and science of management, which as a discipline relies heavily on business studies. It describes in detail the Management of Higher Education. The course deals with the Planning and Management in Distance Education at two different levels: theories and practices in Planning and Management on the basis of the literature on distance education, and from the Indian context. The objectives of the course are as follows:

• Describe an overview of management functions and processes with view to understand the organisation and structure of the education systems;
• Discuss status and issues related to higher education with focus on India and other third world countries;
• Explain the origin, history and evolution of distance education with focus on India;
• Examine the planning and management issues related to ODL system;
• Review the distance education practices with the help of a few institutional cases; and
• Describe the theoretical issues involved in management of change in general and distance education in particular.

• Dr. Hemlata Baghel

The design and use of non-print media constitutes a significant part of the instructional design in the context of distance education. The course examines the process of educational communication technologies in context. This course explores the specific nature and utility of various media in the educational context such as, the audio and video components, the computer and the satellite technologies. It also touches upon the operational aspects of media production and contains theoretical issues pertaining to media selection and integration. It describes the use of educational communication technologies to create digital content and deliver these through new information technologies. It also discusses and explains the general trends in the development and use of educational communication technologies at national and international level. Lastly, it has described how to develop a short but interesting portfolio that will give you instruction on how to practice the skill component, and record the outcomes. The objectives of the course are as follows:

• Critically examine the process of educational communication to plan, design and use appropriate communication technologies in context;
• Identify the range of educational communication technologies, and their relative strengths and weaknesses;
• Use educational communication technologies confidently to create digital content and deliver these through new information technologies;
• Discuss and explain the general trends in the developments and use of educational communication technologies at national and international level; and
• Create engaging, collaborative, reflective and authentic learning environments for delivery of education and training

• Dr. Ram Chandra

The course presents the basics of research in education and distance education in particular. It deals with the purpose, nature and scope of educational research, and presents a review of research in distance education conducted in India and abroad. The course deals with research methods for Social Sciences in general and distance education in particular. It covers various methods like philosophical research, historical research, naturalistic inquiry, case study, descriptive research, experimental research, action research, and so on. It deals with the concept of population, sample and various sampling methods used in research. It describes the characteristics of a good research tool and examines various types of tools for collecting data. It examines various issues related to data analysis and preparation of reports, and discusses the steps involved in preparing a research report. After completing this course the learner should be able:

• To explain the purpose and nature of educational research with special reference to research in distance education;
• To explain different types research methods;
• To describe the different tools of research;
• To analyse and interpret different types of data; and
• To explain the different methods and statistical packages used for data processing

• Prof. Amiteshwar Ratra

This course aims at study of curriculum theory as a base for its practice in education in general and distance education in particular. The objectives of the course are as follows:

• Introducing curriculum as a concept, its foundation, its issues and trends in distance education;
• Familiarize the curriculum with its design and development by using an appropriate media and methods;
• Evolving appropriate transaction strategy to provide for better learner support services;
• Evolve and appropriate course evaluation strategy and learner evaluation and its tools and techniques; and
• Expose global curriculum trends in territory, school, technical, vocational, non formal continue education with material production models.

• Dr. Manoj Tirkey

This course examines some important concepts pertaining to the economic aspects of education and their applicability in distance education in general, and in Distance Education institutions in particular. This course also covers a microscopic examination of the general economy and the economic aspects of both face-to-face and higher distance education in India. The focus of the course has largely been on the costing and funding of distance education in both the developed and the developing nations, and the examination of its economic viability. Besides, at the end, the problems and possibilities of the success and otherwise of distance education in some selected parts of the world, with reference to their economic aspects, have been highlighted. The objectives of the course are as follows:

• Define economics of education, distinguish between consumption and investment in education, and analyse budgeting and costing in education;
• Describe how distance education contributes to human resource development, and analyse funding, pricing and quality in distance education and online learning;
• Analyse various cost types and functions in distance education and online learning;
• Analyse and present comparative study of costs of distance education across important and mega open universities globally; and
• Describe various cost studies in distance education and online learning, and develop ability to formulate research studies on distance education and online learning.

• Dr. Pulla Lakshmi

Staff development has come to be accepted as an essential part of organizational growth in any field. Distance education institutions and open universities are no exception, as most of the staff who works in the field of distance education have come initially from other fields like conventional system of education, industry, army, administrative and allied services, business houses, private organizations and so on. Some join without any prior training in their functional areas. In near future many more persons with different professional background will join the field of education as the new situation demands it. This very aspect spells out the need for staff training and development in distance education itself. Human resources need to be generated through training and retraining over a long period of time for effectively handling and promoting the system. After completing this course the learner should be able: To explain the philosophy and purpose of staff development for distance education; To explain the training techniques for teachers, support staff and non-teaching staff of distance education; To demonstrate the different methodologies used for staff development; Identify different instructional designs for online learning/training; and To reflect upon various professional developments, practices in a national and international context.

• Prof. Anita Priyadarshini

A project at this stage should be a pleasant activity. Most of you are in-service teachers or personnel working within the system of distance education. Further you have had a fairly firm grounding in research methodology from course MDE-415. The purpose of the project work is to sensitize you to the realities and practices of distance education systems, their unique problems, the demands made on them and the possibilities inherent in them. After completing this course the learner should be able:

• To develop research skills, training skills and learning material development.
• Identify solutions for local problems through ‘scientific method’ of investigation; and
• Create new knowledge in the area of Distance Education.

• Dr. Pulla Lakshmi

Only for PGDDE learners enrolled before July 2020 seeking lateral entry to MADE(2nd year).