Learner Satisfaction in a Professional Counselor Preparation Program Through Distance-cum Face-to-Face Mode

Abstract

Open and Distance Learning (ODL) is expanding its horizons to provide education to those who were marginalized, deprived and neglected. Access to formal as well as non-formal education to all levels and fields of education is made possible particularly in the developing countries of the world through ODL systems. The so called formal institutions are transformed into the dual mode ODL institutions, and providing education of high quality through such systems. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have now emerged as a major contributor of knowledge to society and are able to meet the varied needs of all learners cutting across the boundaries of Countries and Continents. The recent National Policy on Education (NEP)-2016 of India supports this fact and recommended that ‘Open Direct Learning through dual mode universities and through MOOCs should be accorded appropriate priority because of India’s existing and latent strength in terms of IT capability, probability of near-term expansion of IT connectivity and enormous interest evinced by leading Universities and Institutions in promoting ODL education’ (MHRD, 2016, pp153). Nisha and Senthil (2015) also commented that ‘the thirst for MOOCs is invasively burgeoning among Indians and they have opted MOOCs for making global classrooms a reality. For Indians, who have a thirst for quality-based western education, MOOCs are proved exemplary in this direction’. // Paper ID 90