Knowledge Management through Distance Education

Globalization means free movement of capital goods, technology, ideas and people. It is the process of integrating various economies of the world without creating any hindrances. In this era of globalization it is necessary to create an environment in which human race can sustain itself on this planet Earth with its various aspects like energy, environment, education, technological back up and governing policies. Education therefore becomes an important aspect for the human race to sustain itself in the global environment. Education is the foundation for a vibrant democracy, growth of productivity and generation of income and employment opportunities. Education in India today is provided by both the conventional mode ie., in schools and colleges and through the distance mode. The provision of distance education is a major breakthrough in the development of human capital. Distance education is therefore an important means by which the human race would be able to sustain itself in this global environment. Distance Education is a generic term that includes the range of teaching, learning strategies variously described as home study or independent study. It is a highly welcome step in the direction of taking education to the door of those willing to acquire higher education but unable to do so owing to lack of resources or paucity of time. In India distance education opportunities at the University level have increased enormously. Many new developments and modern trends due to globalization are putting new pressures on the conventional education system, forcing many institutions to review and amend their existing policies and procedures. The enrollment rates in various Distance Education institutes have improved over the years. But to achieve the goal of one hundred percent literacy the nation should aim at establishment of more number of Distance Education centres and make it known and affordable to the rural masses. In this context the present paper attempts to trace the development of Distance Education in India., to enumerate the objectives of Distance Education, to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of Distance Education, to ascertain the choice of the sample group between conventional and Distance Education mode, to determine the factors influencing the choice of the mode and to suggest policy measures to improve the quality of Distance Education.