Abstract:

Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) of India uses multiple media and modes for reaching out to its distant learners. For most of the programmes offered to these learners, print is the master medium and other media supplement it. Instructions for the Bachelor in Education (B.Ed.), one of the popular programmes of IGNOU, are also delivered similarly. A survey was undertaken to determine the extent of utilization of instructions provided through various media by the students of B.Ed of two Indian metropolises –Delhi and Kolkata, having high penetration of advanced communication technologies. As the students of B.Ed. happen to be teachers who are supposed to be using ICT for teaching in their schools, the survey aimed to determine whether they were also using ICT for learning. The survey was carried out with a questionnaire with closed and open ended questions. It was found that only print medium was used for learning while the other media of the multimedia package remained mostly unused. The reason for this trend was found to be mainly the perception that the print medium is sufficient for assessment purposes. Suggestions have been made that to utilize the multiple media instructional system, interesting programmes that can hook learners be developed for delivery by electronic media and that gradually ICT may be integrated into the programmes from the present supplementary mode so that complacence in using it is reduced among learners.

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