This lecture describes the concept of distance education and the differences between formal and informal education. This lecture is very much useful for the students pursuing their education in Extension Education

1. DISTANCE & EXTENSION EDUCATION
B P Singh
Principal Scientist
Division of Extension Education
ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute
Izatnagar- 243 122

2. Correspondence learning, Distance
learning and Open systems....what is the
common thing in these

3. Correspondence learning, distance learning
and “open systems”, because of their features
fall within the scope of non-formal education.

4. Correspondence Learning:
 organized, structured correspondence schools
date from more than one century.
 in 1856, in Berlin, Toussaint and Langenscheidt
founded a correspondence languages course.
In several countries similar efforts were made, named
“tele- enseignement par correspondence” in France,
“fernuntersuch” and “fernstudium” in Germany,
“home study”, “tuition mail” and “postal tuition” in England;
 “ensino por correspondência” in Portugal;
 “ensenãnza por correo” and “ensenãnza por
correspondencia” in Spain.
„Extra-mural‟ refers to distance education- in New Zealand. T

5. Specific features:
 Correspondence course participants are found in all age brackets and
economic-social classes.
 It is a planned and systematized activity, based on the preparation of
printed educational materials which are forwarded to students who are
physically separated from the teachers who can give but a limited
assistance to them.
 Correspondence learning is an individualized learning system that allows
students to proceed at their own pace, according to their interests.
 The institutional materials are for the most part printed and are
generally prepared by a teacher who has not enough didactic/educative
and technical knowledge to prepare top quality educational material.
Although a number of correspondence courses currently offer other
types of instructional material - audio-tapes and videotapes, kits, etc. -
we shall for classification purposes solely consider the printed materials
offered by correspondence courses.
Correspondence Learning:

6. Specific features:
 We shall reserve the name “distance learning” to the courses
 prepared on a high technical level,
 by a multidisciplinary team,
 administered by a relatively large institution,
 comprising a wide variety of educational materials.
 Correspondence courses generally establish
 a bi-directional communication by mail,
 supported by the teacher who corrects the paperwork, offers
guidance and the requested explanations.
 A degree may or may not be obtained and there is no
pressure on the students,
 hence the student’s motivation is the basic factor for the
program’s success.
Correspondence Learning:

7. DISTANCE LEARNING/ ON-LINE
EDUCATION/INTERACTIVE PARTCIPATION
Provides "access to learning when the source of information and the
learners are separated by time and distance, or both.
Distance education courses that require a physical on-site presence
for any reason (including taking examinations) have been referred to
as hybrid or blended courses of study.
Massive open online courses (MOOCs), aimed at large-scale
interactive participation and open access via the web or other
network technologies, are a recent development in distance
education.
DISTANCE EDUCATION

8. The first distance education course in
the modern sense was provided by
Sir Isaac Pitman in the 1840s, who
taught a system of shorthand by
mailing texts transcribed into
shorthand on postcards and
receiving transcriptions from his
students in return for correction -
the element of student feedback was
a crucial innovation of Pitman's
system.
This scheme was made possible by
the introduction of uniform postage
rates across England from 1840.
DISTANCE EDUCATION

9. •This early beginning proved
extremely successful, and the
Phonographic Correspondence
Society was founded three years later
to establish these courses on
a more formal basis.
• The Society paved the way for the
later formation of Sir Isaac Pitman
Colleges across the country.
DISTANCE EDUCATION

10. University correspondence
courses
The University of London was
the first university to offer
distance learning degrees,
establishing its External
Programme in 1858.

11. DISTANCE EDUCATION
Distance education or distance
learning is a mode of delivering
education and instruction, often on an
individual basis, to students who are
not physically present in a traditional
setting such as a classroom.
Distance education is a planned programme of
instruction provided by an instructor to a
student or students separated from the
instructor by time and/or space.

12. DISTANCE EDUCATION
Distance education is facilitated by digital technology but
can occur without it.
Similarity between distance and face to face course is
the need for access to course information that may be
located in library resources ( book, journals, and non-paper
media) . Just as students in a traditional class room have
been given “ fair use” access to those resources, the student
at a distance also needs “ fair use” access to those resources,
the student at a distance also need “ fair use” access.

13. According to Holmberg
“Distance study is learning supported by those teaching
methods in which, because of the physical separateness of
learners and teachers, the interactive, as well as the preactive
phase of teaching is conducted through print, mechanical or
electronic devices.”
Distance learning is based on non-contiguous communication ,
that is, “the learner is at a distance from the teacher for
much, most or even all the time during the teaching learning
process”
Distance Learning:

14. Butts remarked
 “ the rapid adoption, over the past 10 years, of the phrase
‘distance learning’ to replace ‘correspondence courses’ would
seem to reflect the incorporation of media other than print (and
particularly the medium of broadcasting);
 the fresh impetus coming from research into individualized
learning and self-instructional methods;
 the broadening of the social base for open learning systems;
 and the development of courses and qualifications designed
specifically to meet the needs of distance learning students.”
Distance Learning:

15. The organization and administration of distance learning significantly differs
from those of formal education.
for instance, no students attend classes at the institution, except for occasional
visitors. There are no classrooms; instead there are places where
multidisciplinary teams comprised of redactors, authors, audio-visual
experts, and so on, plan and compose the materials that will be used. In
distance learning we find no “ academic semesters”. The students may at will
discontinue studies whenever he needs or wants to do so.
As per Holmberg:
distance learning is comprised of the following basic activities:
 the development and technical production of distance study
courses;
 the distribution of course materials;
 the non-contiguous two-way communication between students and
tutors/counsellors; and
 record-keeping.”
4
Distance Learning and formal education:

16. Holmberg explained three universally accepted features of
distance learning are
 Typical of the whole distance study is that it is based on non-
contiguous communication, i.e., the learner is at a distance from
the teacher for much, most or even all of the time during the
teaching-learning process.
 A pre-produced course, as self-instructional as possible, printed
and/or consisting of presentation brought about by other means
than print (audio or video-tapes, radio or TV programmes, etc.)
guides the study.
 Organized non-contiguous two-way communication is a
constitutive element of distance study. It is in most cases
principally brought about by assignments for submission for the
students to solve and answer and for the tutors to comment on
(in writing or on audio-tape), but freer forms of communication
also occur.
Distance Learning:

17. Open Systems:
As remarked by Butts, “open learning systems are
defined as those which offer students a
measure of flexibility and autonomy, to study
the programmes of their choice when and
where they wish, and at a pace to suit their
circumstances. “
Open System or Open Learning:

18.  Some authors also consider rather freely the concept of open
education - as synonymous with open systems.
 As Yalli says, “the idea of openness may be two fold: open as
to structures, that is, a rupture of the physical barriers of
educative institutions, so as to provide free access to schools;
or open as to methodology and learning resources.”
 And, he concludes: “The essential fact about open education is
that it does not matter how knowledge is acquired, all means
are valid.
 The open learning system aims at the formation of
independent students who have capacity for self-discipline and
a high capacity for synthesis and for analysis.”
 This author defines that in an open system, learning is the
function of an interaction between the student and the actual
world.
Open System or Open Learning:

19. Distance education has the following important
characteristics:
 The quasi-permanent separation of teacher and learner throughout the
length of the learning process; this distinguishes it from conventional face-to-
face education.
 The influence of an educational organisation both in planning and
preparation of learning materials and in the provision of student support
services; this distinguishes it from private study and teach yourself
programmes
 The use of technical media; print, audio, video or computer, to unite teachers
and learners and carry the content of the course.
 The provision of two-way communication so that the student may benefit
from or even initiate a dialogue; this distinguishes it from other uses of
technology in education.
 The quasi-permanent absence of a learning group throughout the length of
the learning process so that people are usually taught as individuals and not
in groups, with the possibility of occasional meetings for both didactic and
socialisation purposes
Distance Education :

20. With a view to overcoming the deficiencies of private
appearance and also to improving the quality of
education, correspondence courses have been introduced
by a number of universities.
It was in 1961 that the Central Advisory Board of Education
decided to introduce the system of correspondence
courses and a Committee was appointed under the
chairmanship of Dr. D. S. Kothari who was the then
Chairman of UGC which recommended in 1961 the
starting of such courses. The first School of
Correspondence Courses was started by the University of
Delhi in 1962.
Distance Education :

21. The University Grants Commission also encouraged the starting of
correspondence courses and said that these courses are expected to
cater to the following categories of students:
(1) Students who had to discontinue their formal education owing to
pecuniary and other circumstances:
(2) Students in geographically remote areas:
(3) Students who has to discontinue their education because of lack of
aptitude and motivation but who may later on become motivated:
(4) Students who con not find a seat or do not wish to join a regular
college or university department although they have the necessary
qualifications to pursue higher educations;
(5) Individuals who look upon education as a life-long activity and may
either like to pursue their knowledge in an existing discipline or to
acquire knowledge in new areas; and
(6) In-service persons.
Distance Education :

22. The main features of open universities are:
 They are, like their conventional counterparts,
autonomous bodies and are free to take their own
decisions and formulate their courses.
 They use multi-media for instructional purposes-
electronic media is an important component.
 There is a strong student support service
 The material is prepared by teams of experts.
 Entry qualifications are flexible and relaxed.
 One can study according to his own pace of convenience.
 There is uniformity in the quality of education, i.e. the
students
 have access to the same high quality education
Distance Education :

23. SI
No.
Formal Education Informal Education
1 Teacher as authority No teacher involved
2 Educational premises Non-educational premises
3 Teacher control Learner control
4 Planned and structured Organic and evolving
5 Summative assessment/
accreditation
No assessment
6 Externally determined
objectives / outcomes
Internally determined objectives
7 Interests of powerful and dominant
groups
Interests of oppressed groups
8 Open to all groups, according
to published criteria
Preserves inequity and sponsorship
9 Propositional knowledge Practical and process knowledge
10 High status Low status
11 Learning is applicable in a range
of contexts
Learning is context-specific
Differences between Formal and Informal Education

24. Correspondence Education
(A)
Distance Education
(B)
Open Education
(C )
refers to the traditional
type of education given
mainly through printed
materials, by the postal
system
refer to non-
traditional
innovative type of
education that uses
all the possible
means of
communication, the
postal system being
only one of them.
refers to that kind of non-
conventional
education which has been
weaning away from the
conventional / the
Traditional school/college/univer
sity education.
The difference between (a)
and (b) is characterised
essentially by the
advanced strategies and
technologies of
communication used in
(b). obviously, the shift has
been effected by advanced
in communication
technology
The relationship between (b) and
(c) is that open education can be
effected easily through distance
education system on the one
hand, and on the other advances
in the practice of distance
education help and encourage
education to become more and
more open. Naturally, the two go
together, and therefore, the
visible „overlap

25. Besides these three terms, there are a few more in use
currently, as follows:
1. External system/studies: This term is in use in Australia. It does confuse one, when
one thinks of the „external system‟ as it functioned in London years ago. The
London model of „external system‟ makes it possible for learners to sit for
recognised examinations, but teaching is not necessarily associated with the
system. It is obvious that the term does not connote all that is meant by the term
„distance education‟ today.
2. Extra-mural system: This expression is used in New Zealand to convey what
distance education means to most of us.
3. Independent study: Wedemeyer‟s definition of distance education in fact, it is
through his writings that this term gained currency/popularity in North America.
4. Home Study: This term is localised mainly in Europe, probably under the influence
of Swedish schools of correspondence courses. However, it is also being used at a
few places in Canada and the USA.
5. Off-campus studies: To denote a contrast with the on- campus traditional type of
studies the expression „off-campus studies‟ is widely used in the pacific region –
Australia and South-East Asian Countries.

26. Keegan has brings together various aspects of these definitions
in order to clarify the nature of distance education.
1. the separation of teacher and learner.
2. the role of the educational organisation: Distance education
is an institutional kind of educational system. It is, therefore,
distinct from private study which may result from private
reading or watching TV or attending a talk, etc.
3. the people of the technical media : Distance education
makes use of the various technically advanced media such as
printing, telephone, audio-video, broadcasting, computer, etc.
4. two-way communication : It is two-way communication
because the student is able therefore can receive through
assignment-responses or other media and therefore can
receive feedback. The student thus enters into a dialogue
with the institution.

27. Keegan has brings together various aspects ...cont..
5. the separation of the learner from his peer group: Each student is
separated from his/her peer group in the sense that although the learners
form a fairly sizable population they do not have face-to-face interaction
among themselves. Thus distance education becomes a highly
individualised learning system. In this sense, it remains one of the most
individualised of all educational systems. Even though study groups may
be formed under distance education learning programmes, these may not
be compulsory and the student is free to work entirely on his/her own.
6. Industrialisation: Distance education is a specific answer to a specific need.
It is the developed industrial society that has created a need for a more
capsular kind of education. At the same time, it is the same society that
has developed the necessary technology to be able to structure an
educational system that will cater to such a specialised kind of need for
education

28. In the sense, one can say that distance education is an
offshoot of industrial development. Thus, today one can
define distance education as that field of educational
endeavour in which:
 the learner is quasi-permanently separated from the
teacher throughout the duration of the learning process;
 a technological medium replaces the inter-personal
communication of conventional, oral group-based
education;
 the teaching/learning process is institutionalised (thus
distinguishing it from Teach-yourself Programmes) and,
 two-way communication is possible between both the
student and the teacher (thus distinguishing it from other
forms of educational technology).