Alternative Approaches to Education By Shantiram Dahal

Education is one of the most important basic needs of human beings. It opens the doors for all round development for them. Generally speaking, education is one of the major indicators of personal, social and national development. We can't find a country which has a developed education system but is socially, economically and technologically under developed. We also do not find a country which is highly developed but the system but the system of education is week. It can be observed that all most all developed countries have a good educational system. So the education is essential factor for all types of development.

Basic and fundamental level of education is necessary for all citizens of a country. Schools are opened in all parts of the country to meet the objectives, but larger portion of population can't be able to utilize these opportunities due to the various reasons. The formal education can't incorporate all the citizens. Large no of people are still out of schooling.

There are various reasons behind this problem. Some educationists blame the formal structure of schools for posing barriers in the access of some portion of society in this school. Paulofreire, Ivan Illich, 'Remer claimed that present schools are not capable to fulfill the needs of learners and end the conflicts of society. They are neither providing knowledge nor justice, therefore they should be closed.

All the above reasons emphasize on the use of alternative approaches to education, which can function as a complementary system to formal schooling. Some alternative approaches of education are discussed as follows:

Open University:

It has become popular education institution worldwide. It is like any other university in the way educational programs are developed, students are enrolled, exams are conducted, degrees are awarded etc. open university facilitates a learning process without requiring student to attend day to day contact teaching. It makes best use of the potential of students to study on their own. Students are provided with interactive study materials and decentralized learning facilities where they can seek academic and other forms of educational assistance when they need.

The Open University has the potential to generate new ways of teaching and learning because of close links with information and technology. It can be believed that it can lead to innovative delivery of education thought which large scale of population can be addressed. It also significantly contributes to promote lifelong learning.

The Open University prepares quality materials (self-study books, work books, audio casets, videos and software) and makes available for those who intended to do course under its schemas. They can be singled module or complete package. They can be purchased or collected from institutions. It can run its own TV channels. It can use latest technology, be innovative and developmental in its approach to delivery.

Mission/objectives or Characteristics of Open University

1. To provide open access to higher education to people.2.It is opened in terms of methods of delivery.3.It is open in terms of duration time and place.4.It exploits all possible methods ranging from face to face, correspondences and electronic media.5.It is not requiring any academic background for admission. 6.It promotes educational opportunity and social justice by providing high quality university education to all who desired.

7.Open University can enroll students round the year following the principle of " anywhere any time"8.It also allows credit transfer from conventional to Open University.

Open Universities in IndiaOpen Universities in India provide the facility of distance education to people who are unable to pursue regular courses. Distance education is provided on Academic, Technical and Professional subjects. 

These universities offer undergraduate, post graduate and doctoral programme. They also offer diploma and certificate level courses. 

Distance Education Council

The open universities in India are regulated by the Distance Education Council of India (DEC). It is an organization based in New Delhi which maintains the standards, encourages and organizes the activities of Open and Distance learning in India. 

The council encourages the state governments and conventional universities to set up open universities and distance education centers. 

It also arranged for funds to run these universities. The assessment and accreditation of these universities is also done by the DEC. facilitating and promoting distance education is the ultimate goal of the DEC.

On this page, we have tried to list all the major information on Open Universities in India. We have tried our best to provide accurate and updated details about the Open Universities in India. However, if you encounter any discrepancy,do write to us. We welcome any kind of feedback that would improve the quality of the site,a site that strives to provide the best information on Open Universities in india. 

List of Open Universities in India

There are 14 Open Universities in India at present. They have educational centers in various states of India. 

Please find links below to know more about each Open University in India- 

Indira Gandhi National Open University

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University

Karnataka State Open University

Nalanda Open University

Netaji Subhas Open University

Kota Open University Vardhman mahaveer open university

U.p. Rajarshi tandon open university

Madhya Pradesh Bhoj Open University

Tamil Nadu Open University

Yashwant Rao Chavan Open University

Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University,  Ahmedabad 

Pt. Sunderlal Sharma OpenUniversity, Chhattisgarh  

Uttaranchal open university K. K. Handique state university

Correspondence Education:

It is one of the best alternative approaches of education. It started from UK in 1840 AD. Then it spread gradually all over the world. In Germany it started in 1856 and USA in 1891. This is often called distance education in many place o f the world. Correspondence is one of the major characteristics of Open University. Some of the characteristics of correspondence education are similar to the formal and non formal system. Correspondence education has been very popular among educator's planners and policy makers in the last two decades. Most of the advance and more developed countries have adopted such type of education. Even among SAARC countries India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka has have already established Open Universities. Nepal has been utilizing distance learning especially for training primary school teachers for the last three decades.

In the modern times it is very useful means for providing education for those people who are living at far remote places and unable to attain regularly in the class room of formal education. In this mode, education is given through correspondence between learning centre and students. Basically printed materials are used for this correspondence. These materials are developed by expert according to a pre determined curriculum. These materials are innovative and interactive in nature. It provides both lessons and practice exercises which are exchanged between teacher and students through postal service.

Characteristics of Correspondence Education

1.Students are generally literate and mature.2.It sues printed materials as the medium of communication.3.Materials are designed to facilitate learning by self study.4.It includes regular evaluation and regular feedback.5.It gives little provision for two way communication to reduce confusion about subject matter.6.The learning materials are designed the principles of programmed instruction.

Advantages

1.It provides education at work place.2.It is useful those people who are far remote from education centre and unable to attain regularly in the

classroom.3.It is useful both formal and non-formal education.4.People can get higher education by using their leisure time.5.Learning is student centered. It makes learners more active.6.It is also useful for educated people to update and acquired advance knowledge.

Disadvantages

1.It is based on postal service. The problem may be raised from adequate postal service.2.Lack of direct contact between student and teacher.3.It is useless for uneducated people.4.There is no alternative way to reduce confusion.5.There may be lack of faith6.It is not useful for skill learning.

Function of EducationEducation is the process of imparting knowledge, skill and efficiency within a person, which enables him to adjust in difficult situation. The environment is not same at all times and countries. It is a social process and it serves different functions over the society. Education is a multidimensional process so; the function of education cannot be confounded in a fixed boundary. It is one of the major indicators of personal, social and national development. The main function of education is the development of man's innate power and progressive development a modification of society.There is no complete agreement among educationists about the function of education.

From the analysis of different views of different philosophers the functions of education can be classified as follows:

2. Individual function of education3. Social function of education4. National function of education5. International function of education

Individual function of education: Education is a individualized process though all the best can be drawn out from a child. It helps an individual to develop & draw out his potentialities & assist him\ her to solve life problems for better life. Personality development, adjustment of an individual to the society, national and international context is the individual function of education. Including the above functions, the following are individual function of education.

1. Development of mans innate power.2. Personality development.3. Function of self realization, self expression and self preservation.4. Re-organization and reconstruction of experiences.5. Fulfillment of personal and social needs.6. Development of self sufficiency.7. Development of vocational efficiency.8. Development of morality.

Social function of education: education is truly a social process through which an individual acquires knowledge, skill and appropriate behavioural tendencies to adjust and assimilate in different environment. It preserves, promotes, and transmits social norms, values, traditions, cultures, beliefs and other forms of social heritages from one generation to successive generation. Education develops competent human resources for the sound development and prosperous development of society. It promotes the positive social activities and controls the negative and antisocial activities. Generally speaking, social functions are listed as follows:

According to Brubacker According to Monroe1 Conservative function 1 Diffusion of knowledge

2 Neutral function 2 Social control3 Progressive function 3 Security of social heritage4 revolutionary function 4 Social progress

1.Conservative function of education: it is also known as traditional function of education. This function emphasis on the preservation social norms, values, culture and traditions. It also transforms these traditions, cultures, customs, beliefs and traditions from further generation. Past generations have spent a lot of time to invent the knowledge which provides valuable guidance for the welfare of society. Education should play a vital role in the preservation and transmission of knowledge. This function of education is considered as social function.

2.Progressive Function: education is a means of development. It is also a carrier of development. Everything in the nature is changeable. Society also changeable and it changes according to need and interest of the member of society. It has to change beliefs, values, laws, customs, and traditions according to the changing context. Education should play active role to adjust the society according to the changing context. It also plays a vital role in the modernization of society. It should bring new balance in society according to changing demand of time. It emphasis on the creation of new balance.

3.Neutral function: some educationists believe that education should play neutral function society. According to this view, there are many conflicts and contradictions in the society. There is endless debate. Education should remain neutral in such types of debates and try to solve conflicts and contradictions. According to this view, it should not play perspective role in the condition of contradiction but should remain neutral.

4.Revolutionary function: according to this view, no society can be transferred to new shape unless the old society completely destroyed. New building cannot be built by the maintenance of old building. Old one should be totally destroyed to build new one. It believes that traditional societies are developed on capitalists system, where there are two distinct classes. Education should provide the knowledge to identify own class and should activate youth against all forms of exploitations such as economic, social cultural, gender etc. education is the major tool to eliminate injustice, exploitations from the society.

National function of education: nation is a group of people with sovereignty. It includes common traditions, interest, political ambitions, emotional unity etc. There is very close relationship between the state and the citizens. Progress and prosperity state depends upon the citizen. Education develops dynamic, responsible and resourceful citizens for sound development of nation. It helps to develop different aspects of national life. In other word, national function is also called civic function. Education can create such citizens who show qualities of dynamic leadership and sense of responsibility towards their nation at all times and all circumstances. It also develops sense of rights and duties among citizens. Some of the major national aims of education are presented as follows:

1. Training for leadership2. National and emotional integration.3. National development4. Development of human resources and proper utilization of them.5. Development of civic knowledge6. Preservation and promotion of civilization and culture.7. Supply skilled man power.8. Promotion of social efficiency.

Global function of education: it is also known as the international function of education. Education helps to establish good relations among different countries. By exchanging human resources international

understanding and relationship could be improved. Miss understanding and external interference could be minimized. Some of the major global functions of education are listed as follows:

1. Development of international understanding among different countries.2. International non-interference and non-interference.3. Development and exchange of technology.4. Development and exchange of human resources.5. Cultural exchange.6. International co-operation.