counselling in distance education

Academic Counselling

Academic Counselling

Supporting Distance Learners Sanjaya Mishra, PhD

Characteristics of Distance Learners

• Part-time students• Adults with family and social

responsibilities• Gap between present and last experience

of formal education• Less contact with institution and fellow

learners

Academic Counselling

• Support for successful learning experience

• Include both content-based and personalized counselling

• Involves: Informing, Advising and

Counselling

Stages of Counselling

• Pre-Entry• Entry• During the course• Examination• Post-study

Qualities of an Academic Counsellor

• Warmth

• Acceptance

• Genuineness

• Empathy

Skills of an Academic Counsellor• Selecting

(Information/Advise/Councelling)• Listening (Open-ended questions,

Acknowledgement, Reflecting, Silence)

• Structuring (Clarification, Checking, Consequences)

Organizing Counseling Session• Not lecturing, but providing facilities

to learn together• Group learning techniques• Discuss, debate and clarify doubts• Use audio and video materials

Counsellor’s Role in Assessment• Assess student progress through

assignment and provide feedback• Practical Work Assessment• Continuous Feedback

Criteria for Assessing Practical• Statement of Problem• Planning and Problem Solving• Communicating and Presentation/

Reporting • Conclusion and Future work/

Interpretation• Execution/ manipulation

(psychomotor)• Attitude/ Self Reliance

Case 1

Rajesh has enrolled himself for Diploma Programme in Value Added Products from Fruits and Vegetables. He is serious about his studies. He wants to complete the Programme in the minimum duration prescribed. He is regular in attending the counselling sessions. He complains that his counsellors are not supportive. They do not provide him sufficient support to complete the Programme in time. He feels disappointed. As a Coordinator, what would you do to help Rajesh?

Case 2

Nishi is the eldest child to her parents. She is working to support her aged parents and young sisters. Having enrolled in the Diploma Programme in Value Added Products from Fruits and Vegetables, she now finds it difficult to spare time to study. She is upset about the situation, and has come to you for advise. As a a Counsellor help her to overcome the situation.

Case 3

A student of Diploma Programme in Value Added Products shares the following to you. What would be your response to him/ her?

In the last contact programme, I noticed that I was the oldest among the group. The fellow students were in the age group of 25-35 years. I found wide difference in background, social class and motivation. The difference make me feel an ‘odd’ one in the group. I do not know whether I can really benefit by participating in the contact programme. As such I hesitate to attend the contact programme to be held in the following week.