1. International Reseach Journal,November,2010 ISSN-0975-3486 RNI: RAJBIL 2009/300097 VOL-I *ISSUE 14
9RESEARCH ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION
Research Paper—Sociology
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November, 2010
1- INTRODUCTION:-
Distance education has been rapidly spreading
around the world. It has been marvelously growing
in many developed and developing countries. Many
publiclyfundeddistanceeducationalinstitutionsare
beingsetupthroughouttheworld.Policymakersand
academicians in many countries are favoring the
creation of distance education institutions because
of cost effective and cost efficient means of
educationalprovisions.Thissystemisrecognizedas
integral and precious component of many national
educational policies.
The present investigation focuses on the study of
“Divisions of distance educational institutions of
conventional universities”. Institute of Distance
Education,UniversityofMumbai.Thus,thepresent
studycoversonDistanceLearners,theirperceptions,
problemsandtheeffectorrelationofsocioeconomic
characteristicswiththeiracademicperformances(IDE,
UNIVERSITY OF MUMBAI). This research study
gatheredevidencetoshowthathighereducationcan
be well further promoted and developed through
distance education system. The researcher has
examined various programs and policies suggested
by different Committees, Commissions, Working
Groups appointed by the Government to increase
higher education before and after the independence
in India. The researcher has reviewed the existing
research literature in India and abroad on distance
education.Theresearcheralsoreviewedtheperiodic
literaturerelatingtodistanceeducation.Theavailable
literature on distance learners reveals that studies
did not pay much attention to the reasons like the
problems and the relation of socio economic factors
on the performance of distance learners of IDE,
UniversityofMUmbai.Theresearcherhasattempted
topartlyfillthewidegapintheresearchliteratureon
the distance education.
2 OBJECTIVESOFTHESTUDY:
1.Tostudysocio-economic,culturalandeducational
background of the learners of IDE, University of
Mumbai, Mumbai. 2.To analyze or relate how socio
economicfactorsareaffectingtheperformanceofthe
SOCIO ECONOMIC IMPACT ON THE
PERFORMANCE OFDISTANCE LEARNERS
(A case study of IDOL, University of Mumbai)
distance learners.
3. To analyze or relate how receipt and non receipt
ofcoursematerialisaffectingtheperformanceofthe
distance learners year wise (1st
and 2nd
year). 4. To
collect suggestions for improvement from students
in distance education.
3 HYPOTHESESOFTHESTUDY
The study has been advanced with the following
hypotheses:
1. Distancelearnersmaybefoundtovarywithregard
to academic and socio-economic background 2.
Distance learner differ significantly in their
performanceaccordingtotheirbackgroundvariables
i.e. age, sex, family type, marital status, education
background of the parents etc. 3.Distance learners
who receive course material in time shall be better
performerscomparedtothosewhohavenotreceived
the course material in time.
4RESEARCHMETHODOLOGY
Researcherfollowedthequalitative,descriptiveand
exploratory method. A sincere attempt was made to
follow the stages of the descriptive study. The
population selected for the present investigation is
the distance learners who are under going the
bachelordegreeprogrammeoftheInstituteofdistance
education, University of Mumbai. The final sample
for the present study consists of 260 (Arts &
Commerce) 2nd
and 3rd
year distance learners of
bachelor degree programme from the Institute of
distanceeducation,UniversityofMumbaicomprising
2% of total population. A structured questionnaire
was administered to these distance learners. The
responsestopersonalinformationsheet/background
information and the perceptions and performances
werethencomputedthroughusingaparticularcoding
method. The analysis was done with the help of
computerintheSPSS(StatisticalPackageforSocial
Sciences) package. The percentage obtained by the
students in first and second year exams is used as the
indicator of the academic performance for the
analytical purpose (Socio economic status versus
performance, course material received versus
performance).
* Dr. G.Vijayeshwari Rao
*Asso. Prof. Sheth N.K.T.T. College, of Commerce &Arts, Mumbai

2. International Reseach Journal,November,2010 ISSN-0975-3486 RNI: RAJBIL 2009/300097 VOL-I *ISSUE 14
10 RESEARCH ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION
5. FINDINGSANDDATAANALYSIS:-
THEBACKGROUNDCHARACTERISTICSOF
DISTANCELEARNERS Theprofileofthedistance
learners show some degree of variation in the
characteristicsofthelearnerswithregardtovariables
which have been used. The distance learners are
mostly unmarried, Hindu, upper caste, roughly in
theirmidtwenties,livingincitiesandbelongtolower,
lower middle class and middle class income group.
Considerable number of respondents is employed in
private firms. Majority of the respondents’ monthly
familyincomeisbelow8000/-.
EXAMINATIONFirstYearArtsandCommerce
1 There is not much difference between pass
percentage of Arts and Commerce learners. Math’s
and stats subject seems to be incomplete for more
Commerce learners. 2 63.6% of Arts students and
48.7%ofCommercelearnersrevealsthatEconomics
is the toughest subject.Arts students are of the view
thatPoliticalscience(57.1%)andPsychology(52.8%)
arealsodifficult.ForCommercestudentsMathematics
& Statistics (29.2%) followed by Environmental
Science are difficult 2 58.8% students are falling
underthe%of41–50inthefirstyear.Fromthet-test
(p-value is 0.01), it is understood that there is
significant difference in the performance between
ArtsandCommercestudents.Artsstudentsarefaring
bettercomparedwithCommercestudents.Hereonly
second year students were considered.
SecondyearArtsandCommerce
3 ThecompletionrateamongArtsstudentisrelatively
more(98.4%)whencomparetothecommercestudents
in second year. Among the Commerce students
Economicssubjecthastobecompletedbymorestudents
comparatively
a. PaperII(30.6%)ofoptionalpaperIisfounddifficult
subject followed by paper II (22.6%) of optional II for
Arts learners. b. It is also observed that Economics
(42.2%)istougherfollowedbybusinesslaw(38.5%)for
Commercedistancestudents.-Majorityoflearnersfall
under the range of 41 to 50% even in second year of
examinations.As far as the performance is concerned,
same trend is repeated and here alsoArts students are
faringbetterast-testvalueconfirmsthisdata.Thedata
analysis reveals that the major reason for not passing
some papers is no/less time to study, difficulty in
comprehensionwhichledtoincompletepreparation.A
considerable number of student have also mentioned
difficulty in comprehending the subject and less gaps
between examination of each paper, unfavorable
condition at home etc.,
FINDINGSPERTAININGTOTHERELATIONOF
SOCIO ECONOMIC FACTORS WITH THE
PERFORMANCEOFDISTANCELEARNERS.
By analyzing the socio economic variables with
performance,takingsexasavariableitisinteresting
to find out that male are better performers when
comparedwiththefemaleperformersinthefirstyear.
As far as second year is concerned, female learners
are slightly better performers. As far as the marital
status is concerned unmarried are slightly better
performers compared to the married learners. The
same trend is continued even in second year. When
werelatehowcasteplaysarolewiththeperformance,
the data reveals that ST are the better performers
compare to other caste learners. Whereas, the
performance of SC learners is comparatively low in
thefirstyear.ThedatadepictsthatMuslimsarebetter
performers compare to other religions. Hindus are
next lead and Christians are least performers in the
first year. As far as the second year concerned there
isaslightdifferenceinthetrendi.e.Theothersreligion
learners have performed better and Muslims stand
second then Hindus followed by Christians.
When we relate the performance with their native
background, it is interesting to ascertain that the
peoplelivinginMetroarebetterperformerscompare
toothers.The findingsrevealtheinterestingrelation
between the family income and the performance.As
the income goes up the better the performance (% of
theresult)inthefirstyear.Thetrendisseenwiththe
rise of the income the increase in performance.
But in second year there is a slight variation in the
trend of performance v/s family income. Those who
areintheincomerangeof3001–5000showingslightly
betterperformancewhencomparetotheotherincome
groups
FINDINGSPERTAININGTORELATIONSHIPOF
RECEIPT OF COURSE MATERIAL WITH
PERFORMANCE
The performance of the learners has no significant
relationwiththereceiptofcoursematerialandstudents
whohavenotreceivedthecoursematerialbeforethe
exams have fared slightly better.
6 SUGGESTIONS The following suggestions for
the improvement in course material are given by the
students when they were asked for the same by the
researcher. Majority of the students expressed that
they are not receiving the study material in time and
they suggested that the study material shall be sent
intimesothattheywillhaveenoughtimeforstudying.
Some of the respondents felt that the study material
sent by IDE, University of Mumbai is confusing.
Theysuggestedthatthestudymaterialshallbeeasier
to understand. Some of the students have suggested
that the syllabus and study material should be

3. International Reseach Journal,November,2010 ISSN-0975-3486 RNI: RAJBIL 2009/300097 VOL-I *ISSUE 14
11RESEARCH ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION
available in Marathi language.And also some of the
studentspointedouttherearelotofmistakes(Spelling,
grammaretc.)instudymaterialandthesameshallbe
taken care of. When the respondents were asked by
the researcher for the betterment with regard to
Personal Contact Programs (PCP), they suggested
that lectures should be conducted in Marathi
Language and need more lectures for all subjects ie.
Minimum 15 lectures for each subject required.
Also many of the respondents suggested that the
study centres shall be nearer to their place. They feel
that the study centres should not be changed. Some
of the respondents suggested that letters
(correspondence) should be reached them in time.
Since some of the students are not having access to
the internet the University should send the
informationthroughletters,inadditiontothewebsite
in which the entire information is provided by the
IDE,UniversityofMumbai.Manyoftherespondents
suggestedtheyshouldhavesixpapersinPsychology
subject. They have also suggested that PCP should
be taken on regular basis and require more lectures
and duration must be minimum 2 months and the
duration of each lecture should be of 2 hours.
Regarding the lecturers the respondents need more
experienced lecturers and the lecturers should be
punctual.Therespondentsalsoopinedthatthelibrary
facilities shall be improved and the infrastructure in
some of the study centres is not good. Some of the
respondents want fee concession and the admission
process shall be made simple. Regarding the
communication some of the respondents suggested
that website of IDE shall be updated on regular basis
and improvement in telephonic communication is
needed. (Hot line facility)
On the basis of present study it may be mentioned
that some how necessary attempts should be made
tocreateanenvironmentthroughtheprint/nonprint
media and in the personal contacts with distance
learneriftheperformanceofdistancelearnersistobe
enhanced. Further, solving the individual problems
(ifany)andprovidingmaximumfacilitiesofsupport
systemmayhelpdevelopingpositiveattitudetowards
distance education.The above findings appear to be
significantwithaviewtostreamlinethenewapproach
of distance education in the Institute of distance
education University of Mumbai.
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