Distance Education

2.4.2.1 Introduction

Distance education is practised in all parts all over and in recent years its scope has developed enormously and rapidly to become an intrinsic part of many national education systems and an academic discipline in its own right.¹⁴⁸ Earlier distance education was dominated by correspondence courses but today institutions at all levels are providing instruction to remote and local users through the use of computers and the Web which has made it possible for teachers to provide their instruction to mass audiences at the same time. ¹⁴⁹

147 International Coalition of Library Consortium: Statement of Current Perspective and Preferred Practices for Selection and Purchase of Electronic Information. - Available:

http://www.library.yale.edu/consortia/statement.html (01/03/03)

148 Holmberg, B: Theory and Practice of Distance Education. – London: Routledge, 1994. - p. 1

149 Lorenzen,M. : Delivering Instruction in Cyberspace. – Available: http://

www.ala.org/acrl/resmay98.html (12/12/01)

Like other forms of education, the aims of distance education cover a wide spectrum, from the development of personality and cognitive structure through guided learning and problem solving, to training of knowledgeable and well-adapted professionals. This implies that distance education aims at more than merely conveying information or imparting knowledge. According to Rogers, like other forms of teaching, distance learning is geared to goals such as examination, self-realisation, or professional competence and therefore its aims should therefore include promoting productive and critical thinking.¹⁵⁰

2.4.2.2 Library Services for Distance Education

With the increasing popularity of distance education a lot of attention world-wide is being focussed on the role of libraries in supporting distance learning community whether on the campus or off campus. Questions are even being asked whether libraries have a role in distance education.¹⁵¹ Review of existing literature has tended to turn up dim prospects. For example, according to Beangle, a review he contacted of articles on the topic of distance education written by faculty revealed that only a few mentioned issues related to library access or resource integration.¹⁵² Searching in several databases, Roccos arrived at a rather pessimistic conclusion that there is almost no interest in the education field for studies about library resources. She notes that libraries are rarely noted in distance education courses and books, other than reference to online catalogues and electronic resources.¹⁵³

Distance learning courses have been broadly categorised into two forms; the ‘self – contained course’ whereby students study from packaged materials and are not expected to read or consult sources beyond the supplied material and secondly the ‘expandable package’ where they study from packaged materials but where wider reading would be

150 Rogers, W. S. : Changing Attitude through Distance Learning. – In: Open Learning, 3:12-17

151 Lombardi John V.: Academic Libraries in a Digital Age” 6(2000) 10. - Available:

http://www.dlib/october00/lombardi/10lombardi.html (1212//01)

152 Beagle, Donald: Web-based Learning Environments: Do Libraries Matter. – In: College & Research Libraries 61(2000) 4, p. 367-79.

153 Roccos, Linda Jones: Distance Learning and Distance Libraries: Where are they now? – Available:

http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/fall43/roccos43.html (10/02/03)

recommended for certain sections of the course.¹⁵⁴ The first type ‘self-contained’ course has been justified on grounds of equity, whereby some students may not have access and also on grounds that the academics should set the boundaries of study by choosing the necessary sources. However such arguments can be questioned on the grounds that they do not fully address the aspirations of the learners.

Stephens and Unwin have also documented ambivalent attitudes to the relationship existing between libraries and distance education and also arguments that first, the main motivation for academics to embrace distance learning is the power of market forces and secondly, that for both students and course providers, pragmatism outweighs pedagogic principles.¹⁵⁵ In another research carried out in England, they observe a mismatch of expectations between students and course providers about the role of libraries in relation to courses delivered in distance learning mode. According to this research, while some course providers regarded the issue as irrelevant to their students, the students themselves felt the need to supplement the provided course material with additional reading.¹⁵⁶ Some experts feel that there is need to find a balance between a market-driven approach and a commitment to the development of students who can operate as independent thinkers and researchers. According to the above-mentioned research, in spite of strong work or career-related motives, students do not wish their studies to be confined within a prescriptive framework.¹⁵⁷ It argues that an approach that ignores the role of libraries in the learning process provides a narrow experience for the learners and fails to encourage the expected research led inquiry and is against one of the fundamental aims of university education of developing abilities for critical thinking. The obvious conclusion from this line of argument is that unless libraries are encouraged to play a central role in the learning process and supported in the effort, distance learners will face a future in which their experiences as learners are tightly bound and controlled and such an attempt not

154 Stephens, Kate and Unwin, Lorna: The Heart of the Matter: Libraries, Distance Education and Independent Thinking. – In: Journal for Library Services for Distance Education 1(August 1997) 1, p. 2.

155 Ibid.

156 Unwin, Lorna, Bolton, N. and Stephens Kate: The Role of the Library in Distance Learning: Final Report. – London: British Library, 1997. - p.24

157 Ibid.

only fails to give students vital skills of independent thinking but also has the potential to reduce providers of distance education to mere designers of pre-packaged programmed learning.

The guiding principle behind any library services for distance education is that access to adequate library services and resources is essential for the attainment of superior academic skills in post-secondary education, regardless of where students, faculty and programs are located. Distance learning students require access to the full range of library services, from reference assistance and bibliographic instruction to interlibrary loan, course reserves, and information network connections.¹⁵⁸ Library research is an essential component of the academic learning experience and at the same time, lifelong learning skills through general bibliographic and information literacy instruction in academic libraries is a primary outcome of higher education.¹⁵⁹ Therefore like in any other setting libraries should provide distance learners with the library resources and services that are required for successful completion of coursework, research papers and projects, and independent reading and research.

One of the challenges of distance-learning is that until very recently most library collections as well as services were designed for on-campus programs and therefore are not well suited for the needs of distance learning students. The very characteristics of distant locations of students demand for fresh ways to deliver services, based on constantly evolving technologies, new programs offerings, increasing enrolments and learner needs.¹⁶⁰ In some cases traditional on-campus library services themselves cannot be stretched to meet the library needs of distance students and faculty who face unique challenges in library access and information delivery and therefore host institutions’

libraries have the primary responsibility for identifying, developing, co-ordinating, providing and assessing the value and effectiveness of resources and services, designed to

158 Heller-Ross, Holly: Library Support for Distance Learning Programs: A Distributed Model. – In: The Journal of Library Services for Distance Education 2(July1999) 1, p. 5. - Available http://www.

Westga.edu/~library/jlsde/Vol2?1?Hheller-Ross.html

159 Association of College and Research Libraries: Guidelines for Distance Learning Library Services. - Washington DC: ACRL, 2000. - p. 2

meet both the standard and the unique information and skills development needs of the distance learning community.¹⁶¹

Secondly, the provision of library services for distance education has implications for all aspects of library activities including administration, collection management, acquisitions, cataloguing, circulation, reference services, user education and also the use of information and communication technology. There is need to set up an infrastructure that integrates library services for distance education within the programme plans, re-assess funding with the idea of identifying, tracking and understanding the cost factors involved, re-allocating funds and using additional funding avenues besides the regular budget processes. There is also need to further assess the existing library support for distance learning, its availability, appropriateness, and effectiveness and develop methodologies and policies for the provision of library materials and services to distance learning community designed to ensure an equitable service to the off-campus population.

Another key issue in developing library services for distance education is putting in place personnel to manage and co-ordinate this services. This includes appropriate personnel such as the library co-ordinator to manage the services, subject specialists, additional professional staff in the institution as well as support staff from a variety of departments all who work together to provide this service. Therefore staff need to be re-allocated and trained for new responsibilities while issues such as extending library services to distant places even across national borders need to be dealt with.¹⁶²

A number of issues relating to collection management also come into play. Those involved in collection development need to bear in mind the needs of distance learners.

There is need for more funds for distance education library purchases of information resources as well as expertise in handling licensing agreements and negotiating electronic

160 Swaine, Cynthia W: Delivering Library Services for Distance Learning: RALC Program, 1998. – Available: http://www.lib.odu.edu/services/disted/ralcdl2.html (12/2/02)

161 Ibid.

162 Heller-Ross,Holly: Library Support for Distance Learning Programs: A Distributed Model. – In: The Journal of Library Services for Distance Education 2(July 1999) 1, p. 2

purchases. Such funding should be related to the formally defined needs and demands of the distance learning community and be catered for in the institution’s budget layout.

The most challenging area is perhaps that of services. The library services offered to the distance learning community should be designed to meet effectively a wide range of informational, bibliographic, and user needs. Services necessary include reference assistance, information literacy, and computer based bibliographic and informational services. There is need for reliable, rapid and secure access to institutional and other networks including print and Internet based resources as well as consultancy services and a programme of library user instruction designed to instil independent and effective information literacy skills. The delivery of documents should be prompt and the library should carry out promotion of library services to distance learning community, including documented and updated policies, regulations, and procedures for systematic development and management of informational resources. This means that not only is there increased workload but also in electronic environment, training staff in the use of new technologies, such putting materials on the Web and handling electronic requests is necessary. The interlibrary loans in many cases is the first or even the only point of contact with many distant education students therefore it has to be worked out well together with an efficient document delivery.

Instructing distance education students on library use requires new methods of delivery such as use of videos, interactive Web-based tools and even video conferencing. It calls for a close working relationships with others such as IT persons for technical solutions and preparing documentation for electronic tools, and sometimes re-writing them to make sure that they are specific to distance education student needs. Indeed working out a working electronic system that among others takes account of the need for technical skills among the students, and restricted access is the greatest challenge.