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the revolution of information technology in higher education

the revolution of information technology in higher education

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367media; second, <strong>the</strong> mass <strong>education</strong> <strong>of</strong> students at a distance,; and third, <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustrialization <strong>of</strong> teach<strong>in</strong>gprocess. It is felt that distance <strong>education</strong> must adapt new <strong>technology</strong> tailored to <strong>in</strong>dividual learner with<strong>in</strong><strong>the</strong> Indian environment. However, <strong>the</strong> <strong>technology</strong> should be cost-effective, <strong>in</strong>teractive and <strong>in</strong>novative.Dur<strong>in</strong>g last 20 years <strong>the</strong> Open University system has shown substantial growth and development, bothquantitative and qualitative. At present <strong>the</strong>re are ten open universities <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> country <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> IndiraGandhi National Open University (IGNOU). IGNOU is <strong>the</strong> fastest grow<strong>in</strong>g <strong>education</strong> system <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> world,with over six hundred thousand students, more than fifty programs compris<strong>in</strong>g over six hundred courses.It is <strong>the</strong> largest university <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> country and <strong>the</strong> second largest <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> world. The university is <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>glyabsorb<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> cataclysmic changes tak<strong>in</strong>g place <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> telecom and IT sector and now it plans to <strong>in</strong>stallVSAT based term<strong>in</strong>al across <strong>the</strong> country. In an attempt to implement an <strong>in</strong>teractive ETV for distancelearn<strong>in</strong>g program for <strong>education</strong>, <strong>the</strong> IGNOU has conducted teleconferences for1. Distant students2. Counselors handl<strong>in</strong>g counsel<strong>in</strong>g sessions at study centers3. Regional Directors and support<strong>in</strong>g staff <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> university.The impact <strong>of</strong> <strong><strong>in</strong>formation</strong> <strong>technology</strong> is appreciable to identify <strong>the</strong> effect on distance <strong>education</strong> formanagement discipl<strong>in</strong>e, which is as follows:• The teacher and learner <strong>of</strong> management <strong>education</strong> are not required to assemble <strong>in</strong> class rooms.There are no regular classes and peer group <strong>in</strong>teractions.• It has no time and space limitation. Learners are not requires to complete all <strong>the</strong> courses <strong>in</strong> agiven time frame. The pace <strong>of</strong> learn<strong>in</strong>g may be decided by <strong>the</strong> student at his own. Likewise nocampus <strong>in</strong>frastructure is needed.• Digital or electronic library may reach to <strong>the</strong> learner without physical boundaries. Integrated librarywith onl<strong>in</strong>e multimedia support can solve <strong>the</strong> problems <strong>of</strong> students.• Various packages such as .INFORLINE. for general <strong><strong>in</strong>formation</strong> ADVICELINE. for advice to students,.CHOICELINE. for choice <strong>of</strong> subjects, LIBLINE. for library hold<strong>in</strong>gs and .EXAMLINE. for date-sheet<strong>of</strong> term-end exam<strong>in</strong>ations and related <strong><strong>in</strong>formation</strong> may be developed for achiev<strong>in</strong>g excellence <strong>in</strong>management <strong>education</strong> through distance mode. These packages can be made available to <strong>the</strong>management student at university home pages on <strong>the</strong> web-site, video cassettes and CD ROMs.• There is a grow<strong>in</strong>g trend that <strong>education</strong> <strong>in</strong>stitutions are launch<strong>in</strong>g distance <strong>education</strong> program.They may use <strong>in</strong>ternet by open<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>ir web-sites to reach to <strong>the</strong> students who are hav<strong>in</strong>g accessto <strong>in</strong>ternet.• Telephone counsel<strong>in</strong>g may be organized by arrang<strong>in</strong>g a counsel<strong>in</strong>g counter with STD facility foranswer<strong>in</strong>g student queries. Students may be given this facility free <strong>of</strong> charge by dial<strong>in</strong>g a certa<strong>in</strong>code dur<strong>in</strong>g pre-decided counsel<strong>in</strong>g hours. If connected through computer <strong>the</strong>y may ask immediateclarifications through <strong>the</strong> network.• Initially for <strong>the</strong> assignments and later for <strong>the</strong> term end exam<strong>in</strong>ations, traditional exam<strong>in</strong>ationsystem may be replaced through onl<strong>in</strong>e computer assessment system.

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