Learning Chemistry at a Distance in India: Issues and Challenges

Abstract

Open Distance Learning concept entails immense potentiality to reach the unreached so that millions are extricated from the mire of illiteracy they seem to have stuck deep into. The task of inculcating scientific temper amongst students mainly lies with ODL so that country moves in the right earnest on path to the sustainable development for which the most traditional institutions of learning can't solely be relied upon more so when most of them, of late, have become archaic, anachronistic and to a great extent moribund. ODL can cater to the needs of many such persons who want access to education and are somehow physically unable to attend the traditional classroom. It affords sort of flexibility that students find appealing. The concept is fast becoming popular the world over and it has promises and relevance for a country like India which has been beset with the problem of staggering growth of population. However, the biggest challenge in this type of teaching-learning process lies in offering laboratory-based science programmes. The difficulties arise as teaching laboratory-based science subjects like chemistry is taken up. The maintenance of infrastructure and the cost involved therein along with a compulsory presence of the students for experimental work pose a greater challenge to ODL. Since we are living in the age of post -modernism in which high mass consumerism is the order of the day that in turn makes the world highly competitive. In such a scenario, we cannot afford to lose even the pace in respect to the comity of nations lest we would lag far behind. Here lies the importance of imparting education in science subjects particularly in chemistry for which the ODL has a tough task cut out for itself. ODL can also help provide many an arrow in the repertoire of the students to meet the challenges that lie ahead of them in this competitive world of ours. 

                 This paper intends to study the issues and challenges the Open Distance Learning (ODL) programme faces in establishing the credibility and authenticity in teaching laboratory-based science subjects.