Purpose: This paper presents the features and relevance of open distance learning in the context of the socio-economic conditions of people living in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) in India. Although the primary purpose of the present study was to ascertain the effectiveness of the learner support services (LSSs) and different…

Purpose: In the last few decades, the growth in management institutions in India has become significant. The Open and Distance Learning (ODL) institutions also have started offering management programmes at various levels. In the ODL scenario, the learning path has been shifting from the traditional Self-Learning Material (SLM)-based model to…

The primary objective of this research is to ascertain the manner in which higher education institutions offering open and distance education incorporate the concept of openness into their vision, mission, core values, and tactics. This study employs a descriptive research design to ascertain the current state of affairs. The research methodology…

This bibliometric study investigates the evolution and trends in quality assurance in distance higher education (QADHE) through a comprehensive analysis of Scopus-indexed publications spanning from 1993 to 2024. The research aims to address several critical aspects, including publication trends, international collaboration networks, influential…

This report provides an overview of the nature of open universities derived from the responses from 28 open universities in the Commonwealth. The data not only provide a snapshot of the nature of OUs, but also show some evidence of the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on open universities where institutions had to move all their learning and…

This study investigated the problems faced by teachers enrolling in a distance teacher education programme offered by India's Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). Instead of review of literature, the study began with the examination of learners' complaints about various aspects of the programme. Analysis of data extracted from the…

This paper explores learners' awareness of and satisfaction with the e-services that an open university provides its learners through its Website. The paper further highlights the influence of age, gender, and education levels on learners' awareness and satisfaction levels. A case-study approach was adopted and an online survey was used to collect…

The teaching-learning system in India changed significantly during the COVID 19 pandemic situation. Educational institutions adopted blended learning approaches for effective teaching and used digital technologies to deliver academic programs. Online learning during pandemic situations helps learners learn the necessary skills to meet the need for…

COVID-19 provided an opportunity to experiment with alternative delivery mechanisms for a medical education programme offered through open and distance learning with face-to-face training as an essential component of the programme. Non-availability of hard copies of the course material (92%) and lack of communication from the university (32%) as…

The educational system has moved towards digitization and online learning in the past two decades. The institutions are focusing on delivering online courses to facilitate the students. Uttarakhand Open University offered online courses to reach the unreached learners. High dropout rate from MOOCs is a global concern. Learners' satisfaction survey…

Purpose: This paper seeks to ascertain the effectiveness of a two-week-long faculty development programme (FDP), organized by Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), for teachers of the open and distance learning (ODL) system, with the aim of upgrading their knowledge and skills for developing print self-learning materials (SLMs). The…

The digital age has opened up new and exciting opportunities for Open and Distance Learning (ODL) in universities. But, is going digital reinforcing the existing social inequalities? This qualitative research examines the three levels of digital divide and digital inequality among learners at India's National Open University, IGNOU. The findings…