ICT Usage By Distance Learners In India

Abstract

Open Universities across the world are embracing ICT based teaching and learning process to disseminate quality education to their learners spread across the globe. In India availability and access of ICT and learner characteristics are uneven and vary from state to state. Hence it is important to establish the facts about ICT access among learners, their ICT usage patterns and their readiness to use ICT for educational purpose. In view of this, a study was conducted with the objective to find out the access level of ICT among distance learners. The analysis indicates that maximum learners have desktop/laptops and most of them are accessing internet very frequently from their home. The analysis also indicates that maximum respondents are browsing social networking sites followed by educational and e-mail service providing websites. Findings suggest that there is a need to generate ICT based tutorials complemented with social networking tools and mobile applications. Study also shows that learners are equipped with mobile phones and they are browsing internet through it and also availing support services offered by the university. Hence possibility of integrating mobile phone services may be used for providing learner support services and content delivery.

Information and Communication Technologies’ (ICTs) Enhancing Teaching and Learning in ODL

“…Awadhiya, Miglani and Gowthaman (2014) acknowledge the use of ICTs in open universities worldwide. In India, though use of ICTs is not evenly distributed, in Awadhiya's et al (2014) study, they found that most distance learners in India access the Internet through laptops, desktops and smartphones. Through use of ICTs, higher education is promoted and transformed, "from a teacher directed enterprise towards student-centered models" (Kaur & Nanak, 2015, para.…”

Determining Open Education Related Social Media Usage Trends in Turkey Using a Holistic Social Network Analysis

“…In this context, the studies available in the relevant literature show that not only are social media networks widely used in open and distance learning environments, they also yield positive results (Awadhiya et al, 2014;Blaschke, 2014;Seaman & Tinti-Kane, 2013;Thoms & Eryilmaz, 2014).…”

“…The literature includes certain studies on the use of social media to increase interaction between learners and instructors in open and distance learning environments (Van Wyk, 2014). A study conducted in IGNOU, an open university in India, identified the objectives of internet use and revealed that open and distance learners mostly used (80%) such social media as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Blogs for learning and teaching purposes (Awadhiya, Miglani, & Gowthaman, 2014). In another study revealing the importance of social media use in open and distance learning environments, Özmen and Atıcı (2014b) not only concluded that learners using social media in open and distance learning environments develop positive attitudes toward lessons but also reported increased quality of communication between "learner -learner" and "instructor -learner."…”

Ict in Open and Distance Education: A Tool for Learner Support Services and Policy Development

“…The ODL Institutions across the world are embracing ICT based teaching-learning process to disseminate quality education to their learners spread across the globe. In India, availability and access to ICT facilities and learner characteristics are uneven and vary from state to state (Awadhiya, Miglani & Gowthaman, 2014). In ODL and other Institutions of learning, designing, developing, and introducing learner support services with a learner-centric philosophy is a fundamental element in ensuring that they fulfill their intended purpose (Hunte, 2012).…”