NIOS : The Way Forward - The National Institute of Open Schooling

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NIOS: The Way Forward / 33
Curriculum Transaction Processes
Learning to Learn and Learning Supports
Through a careful integration of lessons that are mainly self instructional, with
the additional supports provided through Personal Contact Programmes, and
through the use of audio and video materials, the distance learner of NIOS
has the opportunity to learn differently and to learn more effectively.
4.1 Instructional Process
4.2 Learning made effective through
inter-linked support packages
4.3 Regional Centres and Study
Centres
4.4 Personal Contact Programmes
(PCP)
4.5 Mind Maps
4.6 Summing up
4.1 Instructional Process
Instruction in NIOS is a planned and a
deliberate attempt is made to help the
learner assimilate and consolidate the
learning experiences. The critical
elements are the learner, the learning
experiences and the learning context. To
support and supplement, there are the
teachers, the study materials and the
teaching methodology. In any transaction
process nothing can be “ given” to the
learner. It is the learner who must “pick” up the message. It is the learner who
must “make” meaning out of it and it is the learner who constructs knowledge.
While in the face-to-face system, the teacher plays an important role in the
instructional process, in ODL, the instructional package and its several support
systems make key contributions. The learner is more autonomous in ODL
than in the conventional mode. Rather than the teacher, it is the “teacher-inprint”
who plays a key role in ODL.
4.2 Learning made effective through inter-linked support packages
By referring to Figure 3.2, one can readily understand why the lesson is called
a “teacher-in-print”. The lessons of the study materials are prepared with
great care. They are aimed to serve as self-learning packages, to a great
extent. However, most, if not all the learners require some additional learning
support. NIOS provides these in the form of audio and video tapes, and through
Personal Contact Programmes. As access to technology advances, more and
more of these learning facilitators will become available to the OD learner. We
have also referred to the use of Concept Maps or concept Webs to facilitate
and deepen learning. (Confer 4.5)