Education worldwide is transforming rapidly at local, national and international levels. There are many driving factors fuelling increased demand for online and distance education (DE) across the globe:
- 1. The growing importance of the flow and aggregation of knowledge;
- 2. Political initiatives for inclusion and wider access to higher education;
- 2. Political initiatives for inclusion and wider access to higher education;
- 3. Expanding markets and increased international competition;
- 4. The mobilization of skilled labour;
- 5. Regional integration and globalization processes that provide scope for professional mobility and greater potential for cross-border movement of goods, services, capital and persons;
- 6. The consequent growing demand for relevant continuing education and training, or what is known as lifelong learning;
- 7. Diversification of higher education providers
- 8. The continuous development of information and communication technologies heralding new approaches to education delivery.
Distance Education is an established and recognized mode of education which is in consonance with changing socio-economic needs and emerging demands of the knowledge era.
The principal objectives of the Distance Education Courses as introduced by the Shobhit University are :
To provide, subject to fulfillment of minimum eligibility criteria and other requirements as may be prescribed by the University from time to time, wider access to higher education to persons of all ages and sex residing in any part of the country - particularly to working persons - who, for different reasons, cannot undergo the higher courses of studies as regular full-time students of the University. To provide a system of student-centred self-paced learning which will neither be entirely separate from nor wholly independent of the formal, full-time campus system of education as traditionally followed in University departments of studies. To provide means of improvement / upgradation of professional skills and competence of individuals who enjoy to take education as a life-long activity. To ensure, as far as feasible, appropriate value addition to career prospect of the studies in the context of prevailing market opportunities.
Distance Education, distance learning is a field of education that focuses on the pedagogy, technology, and instructional systems design that aim to deliver education to students who are not physically "on site". Distance learning courses that require a physical on-site presence for any reason including the taking of examinations is considered to be a hybrid or blended course of study.
Many teachers feel the opportunities offered by distance learning outweigh the obstacles. In fact, instructors often comment that the focused preparation required by distance teaching improves their overall teaching and empathy for their students. Through Distance learning they can: