Abstract:

The distance learning system can be successful and rewarding to many extents when the quality of the system can be improved and a positive attitude can be formulated towards the system among the learners who pursue different types of courses including both practical based courses and theory based courses in the system. For formulating positive attitude among the learners towards the distance learning system, at first, there is need to study the attitude of the learners pursuing different courses in distance learning system towards distance learning system. The review of the studies in the field of distance learning system indicates that rare investigation has been carried out to study the attitude of the learners towards distance learning system. Hence, in this research, an attempt was made to study the attitude of learners of practical based courses and learners of theory based courses towards distance learning system. This research was formulated to achieve these four objectives: (i) to compare the attitude of learners of practical based courses and the attitude of learners of theory based courses towards distance learning system; (ii) to compare the attitude of learners of practical based courses and the attitude of learners of learners of theory based courses towards distance learning system with regard to their background variables(i.e., gender, age, employment level and rural- urban level); (iii) to compare the attitude of learners of practical based courses towards distance learning system with regard to their background variables(i.e., gender, age, employment level and rural- urban level); and (iv) to compare the attitude of learners of theory based courses towards distance learning system with regard to their background variables (i.e., gender, age, employment level and rural- urban level). The research falls under the scope of survey-cum-comparative type of research. The participants of the research included forty learners of Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) course and forty learners of Bachelor of Arts (B. A.) course in two Study Centers of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) Regional Center, Bhubaneswar ( i.e., IGNOU Study Center, Khalikote College, Berhampur, and IGNOU Study Center, B.J.B. College, Bhubaneswar). The data of the research were collected personally from the participants. Basically quantitative methods of data analysis were used to analyze the data of the research. The results of the research identified the difference in attitude among learners of practical based courses and learners of theory based courses towards distance learning system. The research recommended viable strategies for creating a strong base of motivation and favourable attitude among learners as well as other personnel of distance learning system towards distance learning system.   

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