Instructional Technology

Introduction

“One of the unique benefits of distance education is that it is able to provide access to education for many students who would not otherwise have the opportunity” (Moore & Kearsley, 2005 p.185). Indira Ghandi National Open University (IGNOU) an institution meeting the needs of over 2.8 million students worldwide is providing this opportunity. IGNOU was established in 1985, and incorporates some of the most advance technologies known to the DE environment. IGNOU uses satellite, 24hr educational TV channel, radio cooperation, two-way teleconferencing, interactive radio counseling, web-based learning, and a learning management system for student access.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate a technology using the SECTIONS model that meets the needs of IGNOU students, and complement the institution’s vision.

Institutional Mandate

“The mandate of the University is to (a) provide access to higher education to all segments of society (b) offer high quality, innovative and need-based programmes at different levels, to all those who require them (c) reach out to the disadvantaged by offering programmes in all parts of the country at affordable costs (d) promote, coordinate and regulate the standards of education offered through open and distance learning in the country” (http://www.ignou.ac.in/).

Target Audience

The students of IGNOU represent India, and 36 other countries. The university accepts students as young as 14 years old, and have “no bar” on age for admission to most programs. However, the assumption is that many of the students are adults. The institution offers approximately 350 specialty-designed programs to address the needs of all of their students. The programs consist of professional, vocational, awareness generating, and skill-oriented. The focus of their programs is to meet the various academic and employment needs of the people. Many of the students of IGNOU live in underdeveloped countries, and are at a disadvantage of receiving education otherwise. The skill levels, language, academic background, and cultures blend to make IGNOU one of the most diverse institutions in the world.

Complement Technology: Visual Data Analysis

“We cannot avoid, even in brief overview of learning, the issue of student differences in learning. This has become an important issue in higher education as the student population has become more diverse and heterogeneous. We will see that technology can be a useful tool for dealing with student diversity” (Bates & Poole, 2003, p. 35). IGNOU provides its students with a myriad of methods for learning. This is especially needed because of the different ethnic backgrounds, ages, academic backgrounds, and technological experiences. However, as new technology emerges, IGNOU can benefit by implementing