Directorate of Distance Education

Kannada University strongly believes in comprehensive learning thus to validate new perceptions of knowledge. It has evolved many programmes to spread knowledge through its research activities. The vision and mission of this university is to explore Kannada culture, promote research studies and widen the knowledge base. Against this backdrop, the university has been offering distance education curses, since 25.08.2001.

The University has identified that in the modern world of education traditional study at the universities and colleges is gradually complemented or even replaced by new technologies of distance learning. In Kannada University, It is characterized as a process of delivering teaching to students who are not physically present in classrooms. The University provides written material to students through mail and audio and visual lessons are also arranged to be imparted. Most of the students who have been passing out have got duly employed in the line of their choice — the courses are varied and even vocational and there are very informal courses too which no formal University, normally offers. The aim and object of Directorate of Distance Education is to help those who due to monetary constraints, family circumstances, or being-in-job constraints are unable to join a formal course of study at a college or a university.

This is education at your door step and the philosophy behind this is no compromise with the quality of education imparted. The courses, though varied, have their own specialists preparing the study material and evaluating the work submitted by the student. Now experiments are on way to arrange laboratory work at colleges and universities during holidays in order to provide the benefit of this system even to students offering experimental subjects.  With the internet advancement in the field of information technology, it can be hoped that Distance Education would become more educative than the education imparted at colleges and universities. There is hardly any risk of strikes disrupting the academic session; there are no absentee-teacher problems, and no apprehensions of the use of unfair means. Knowledge has become one of the most important economic forces; knowledge is rapidly expanding and its useful life time becomes increasingly shorter. The distance education programmes of Kannada University have been developed strongly influenced by the social and cognitive sciences. It focuses on learning rather than on teaching. Through its distance education, the university has changed the focus of learning to learning styles and perception. Knowledge is considered as socially constructed through action, communication and reflection involving learners. To design effective distance education programs, it is important to understand how learning occurs and the factors that influence motivation, communication, perception, and learning. Learning strategies may consider cognitive learning strategies, learner’s goals and motivation. Cognitive strategies cannot be divorced from learner’s purpose in using them. Therefore, learner goals and motivation highly influence the cognitive strategies. The distance education requires intrinsic motivation to support skill development, intellectual interests, challenge or personal growth consistent with the results of relevant research. The courses such as M.A in Kannada, History, Journalism and Mass Media and scores of other diploma courses have been framed against this backdrop. Also, Diploma in Archaeology Culture and Tourism, Journalism, Drama Art, Information and Technology, Translation studies have huge demand in the market but they are designed to represent and widen the perceptive of Kannada culture. Written material on subjects like Journalism and Mass Media are generally produced in English, but the Kannada University has published the written material in Kannada thus to enliven desi languages. The Kannada University has taken a giant step to spread its academical activities through its distance education programmes in the most backward Hyderabad Karnataka region of Karnataka. The students who have successfully completed distance courses from this university have tapped many employment opportunities across the state. Many have secured jobs in public sector too. We wish you join us in our efforts to make distance education a success.

The reason why Kannada University is most influential in Hyderabad Karnataka is not only its uniqueness but also the academical vision and acumen it has been following. Kannada University is of the immense belief that knowledge should not only be produced but it also be disseminated. The texts framed by Directorate of Distance Education (DDE) of Kannada University are on par with the curriculum of any central university in India. Thousands of students from Hyderabad-Karnataka Region have become successful and responsible individual after studying the course material of DDE. This is a matter of pride for the University for having catered to their needs.

Scholars have identified that economical imbalance has caused social inequality in Hyderabad Karnataka region. The texts of DDE focus on this disparity. Creating educational awareness is the immediate objective of the Distance Education Programme offered by our university.  The curriculum of DDE underscores the need to bring out the significance of architectural marvel, literary exuberance and cultural heritage that has been existing since the period of Nizams and the British.  That is why the distance education programmes offered by Kannada University stand distinguished from other universities.

Despite many challenges and limitation, we have been putting concerted efforts to build the university to realize the aspirations of the society. At the same time, we are fully aware of the fact that imparting quality education is one of the important responsibilities that we should shoulder upon. Each student who takes admission for DDE courses is a pride of the university