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Compiled by Muhammad Yousaf

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
MOHI UD DIN ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY
NERIAN SHARIF AJ&K
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Contents
Q1: Problems in distance education .......................................................................................................... 3
Q2: Issues and problems in teacher’s education. ................................................................................. 5
Q3: Problems in teachers’ professional development .......................................................................... 8
Q4: Mode of distance education in Pakistan ...................................................................................... 15
Q5: Importance of teacher’s professional development..................................................................... 17
Q6: Student support services, its concept and importance ................................................................. 22
Q7: Concept and scope of classroom practices, its importance ......................................................... 26
Q8: Types of student support services, Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) student support
services.................................................................................................................................................... 30
Q9: Student Evaluation System, its concept and scope, types of evaluation. .................................... 32
Q10: Student Evaluation System in Pakistan and USA. .................................................................. 37
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Q1: Problems in distance education

Ans: Introduction: Distance learning, also called distance education, e-learning, and online
learning, form of education in which the main elements include physical separation of teachers and
students during instruction and the use of various technologies to facilitate student-teacher and
student-student communication.

Problems in distance Education: Distance learning provides an exceptional learning opportunity as

it allows for flexibility in learning methods and materials, schedules, and physical location. Like all learning
models, distance learning does have some inherent problems, especially in the areas of isolation, support,
technology and discipline. Common problems in distance education are:

1. Adaptability. The change from in-person to virtual learning may be very disruptive, and some
learners take time to adapt to the new style. In addition, students who are used to the traditional
classroom environment may find it hard to learn on online platforms. While the exact content may
be delivered for physical and online classes, comprehension rates differ among learners.
2. Distractions. While studying online, there are many chances of deviating from other activities
like social media or even listening to music. Distractions contribute to time wastage, loss of
concentration and reduces the effectiveness of distance learning. To avoid distractions, you must
identify your learning goals and objectives and build a study plan to achieve your objectives.
3. Technical Issue. Technical issues range from a low internet connection to broken hardware
parts and faulty software. Plenty of technical problems arise from a lack of understanding of
technology and computer applications. In addition, Internet speed plays a significant role in how
quickly you attend classes. Therefore, having a high-speed internet connection is suitable for an
effective, efficient, and flawless online learning experience.
4. Computer Knowledge. Distance learning requires possession of at least some basic computer
knowledge. Unfortunately, many students do not have sufficient knowledge and skills like MS
Word, MS Excel, and PowerPoint. Lack of computer knowledge may make it hard for learners to
use communication-related apps, appropriate icons, and study materials.
5. Lack of motivation and support. Physical learning creates an environment for continuous
learning through students’ support from their tutors and peers. Students who do not understand or
misunderstand a concept during live online classes may find it hard to seek clarification as they are
detached from the instructor. Students may also lack the motivation for their coursework due to a
lack of a physical campus or their peers.
6. Ineffective Time Management.Research has proven that successful “time management is
associated with greater academic performance and lower levels of anxiety in students.”
Unfortunately, the same research also uncovered that “many students find it hard to find a balance
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between their studies and their day-to-day lives” — and worse, that ineffective time management
was associated with outcomes like “poor sleep patterns” and “increased levels of stress.” Effective
time management can be especially difficult in a distance learning environment, where students are
challenged to pace themselves — without the support from friends and peers that would help them
stay focused in class.
7. Lack of Instant Communication. In an in-person setting, communication happens
instantaneously, making it easy for students to get answers and clarify points of confusion. In an e-
learning setting, communication is often asynchronous, which means there’s a gap between teacher
and student. It’s easy for misunderstandings to develop in these gaps — sometimes, allowing a
problem to snowball before it can be corrected.
8. Not Receiving Timely Feedback. Providing feedback is one of the most important and
meaningful ways that a teacher engages with a student. When feedback is delayed by additional
days or weeks because of an online format, students can become confused or uncertain about your
expectations, their progress, and their performance in your class.
9. Not Receiving Clear Instructions or Expectation. It’s always crucial to set clear
expectations for students. Otherwise, they can only guess at whether they’re performing tasks and
projects correctly. While setting clear standards is a challenge in any classroom, asynchronous
communication can make it a greater obstacle.
10. No change in scenery or built-in breaks. Staying in one place all day can make it hard to
stay focused. Students get built-in breaks in regular school. Recess, gym, music or art class, and
even changing from room to room all help students’ recharge.

Conclusion. There are two schools of thoughts in this argument on the effectiveness of distance
learning. While one considers virtual classrooms as lonely, frightening places incapable of providing the
right educational experience to the student and the teacher, there is another voice which supports distance
learning.
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Q2: Issues and problems in teacher’s education.

Ans: Introduction: Teaching is a phenomenal career – it’s gratifying to make a difference in the youth.
Yet, it’s also a career that comes with its challenges that many aren’t aware of.

To the everyday person, teaching children seems like a breeze. The misconception comes from the idea that
teachers get school holidays and half days – but that’s far from the truth. In addition, while there are
challenges in the classroom, outside of school hours, there are as many challenges.

Problems in teachers Education: While the rewards outweigh the challenges, it’s still important to
understand teachers’ roles and the problems they overcome.

1. Understanding the Different Learning Challenges Amongst Students. Regardless of the class
or students you are teaching; there will always be a diverse set of learning abilities that demand your
attention. Given that there are eight learning styles, a teacher has to think outside the box when it comes to
meeting the needs of each of their learners.

Different teaching strategies satisfy and stimulate learners in various ways, and as a teacher, you’re required
to put in extra hours and effort to meet their needs. However, once a teacher develops these strategies,
they’re rewarded with empowered and thriving learners.

2. Student Family Problems & Bullying. A key issue in education is students not having access to
healthcare professionals, which results in students turning to teachers for emotional support and
safeguarding regarding family issues and bullying. Of course, it’s fantastic to be there for your students,
but it goes beyond a teacher’s scope and can often leave too much on your plate.

Because teachers work closely with vulnerable groups and children, they must complete an enhanced DBS
check.

3. Lack of Funding. One of the current educational issues facing teachers today is the lack of funding.
Unfortunately, unless you are working at a private school, public or independent schools across the country
often encounter issues with funding.

When schools encounter budget issues, the first step is to reduce pupil to teacher ratio, which directly
impacts the scholars’ learning. Teachers face a growing number of students per class, which prevents them
from providing crucial one-on-one attention. The result is lower student achievement and satisfaction.

4. Lack of Effective Communication. Every year, students are faced with the daunting task of
communicating their needs to teachers. Some kids have a natural knack for it – they can talk about what
they want engagingly and get what they need. But many find themselves struggling to communicate
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effectively with their teachers. As the wiser of the bunch, teachers need to build trust with their students
and work on their communication skills every day.

You are building an effective communication channel not only between yourself and your students but also
their parents.

5. Being Encouraging and Motivating Under Challenging Times. The school year is dotted with
exciting learning activities and adventures for pupils throughout the year. And most of the year is going to
be spent bonding with your students.

But there will be times when you need to motivate your students through the treacherous parts of the year.
For example, high school students are bombarded with exams and assignments that their futures depend
on. Preschool students, on the other hand, have to overcome challenges such as pen grips and ball skills.
Both age groups need a supporting shoulder from a teacher who they can trust.

6. Disciplining Students. Discipling students is a challenge in the classroom and can be a timely,
emotionally taxing process. While you’re guaranteed to have delightful children in your class, it’s not
uncommon that you’ll encounter students who lack good manners and are disrespectful.

Disrespectful students can kill your love of teaching, but you also have to be careful in the way you go
about dealing with disruptions and disciplining students. Ways to combat the lack of manners in your
classroom is to implement justified consequences, get to the root of the problem, get the parents involved
and create intervention plans.

7. Endless Paperwork & Extended Working Hours. If you remember anything from your school
years, it’s the fact that teachers were always up to their necks in marking and grading papers. And sick days
aren’t always an option. Unfortunately, marking papers isn’t a task performed during teaching hours, which
often leaves teachers marking once the day has ended.

Paperwork involves accounting for the growth of your students by tracking their progress throughout the
year. In addition to teaching notes, individual evaluations need to be recorded, and this is often a task that
requires extended working hours.

8. Time Management. Teaching is a job that needs you to be on your feet all day, and there’s often little
time for rest. So, on top of being on your feet, you need to be keeping busy bees’ minds active. Creating
creative ways to keep little ones entertained is vital to making your job as a teacher easier. This is where
planning and time management comes into play. As with high school scholars, time management involves
designing a stimulating schedule and covers the year’s work without flying past content.
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9. Pressure from School Administrators. Teaching has become a super competitor industry which
requires teachers to be thinking out of the box constantly. Competition applies to those in the school, with
a lot of teachers feeling as though they need to achieve greater things each year

On top of the competition, teachers are solely responsible for a student’s development, growth indicators,
and disciplinary factors; these factors put a lot of pressure on a teacher’s shoulders.

10. Burn Out. It’s no secret that teaching can be a demanding profession. With the constant pressure to
produce great results, it’s not uncommon for teachers to experience burnout. But how do you know when
you’re suffering from the condition? Here are some signs of burnout in educators: feeling drained after
working on lesson plans or grading papers, dreading going into work every day, wishing you could leave
your job and find something else to do with your life.

Conclusion: Coming decades are likely to see continuing development and change in teacher education.
Post-secondary and higher education may soon reach between a third and a half of the population in many
advanced countries. The teacher must adjust to new developments in educational technology, the growth
of human knowledge, and the problem of creating a relevant and appropriate curriculum from the enormous
range of material available. There will be new understanding of how children develop and learn. The
patterns of authority in society will continue to change, and it is likely that there will be a greater recognition
of the importance of moral and personal education in a world of pluralistic values and goals. All these
factors will affect the ways in which teachers are educated and trained.
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Q3: Problems in teachers’ professional development

Ans: Introduction: Although there is quite a bit of in-depth research regarding effective professional
development (PD) and best practices for educators, studies suggest that typical PD neglects to adequately
address the needs of these adult learners. Research on adult learning supports the fact that there is a
disconnect between research-based best practices and the traditional PD models found in schools.
Unfortunately, it is rather challenging to meet the needs of all adult learners in typical face-to-face
professional learning. The good news is that, with a more modern, virtual approach to PD, we can tackle
such challenges, offering innovative personalized solutions for teachers.

Problems in teacher’s professional development. In studies of educators’ dissatisfaction with

traditional professional development, as well as leaders’ struggles with planning for teacher training, several
themes repeatedly emerge in the findings. Challenges with traditional PD for teachers include, but are not
limited to:

1. Buy-In from educators. In the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation study Teachers Know Best,
teachers report wanting professional development that is relevant, sustainable, interactive, and
teacher-driven. They want to be respected as professionals. Understandably, teachers wish for
their knowledge and experience to be valued, as well as considered during the PD design process.
When teachers are required to sit through one-size-fits-all professional development, it is easy
for them to become frustrated or even resentful. Unintentional PD design undoubtedly
contributes to educators’ dissatisfaction with mandated teacher training, repeatedly leaving
teachers with a bad taste in their mouths when it comes to any type of continued learning.
Adult learning theories such as Knowles’ Theory of Andragogy proposed concepts that most
certainly initiated a revolution in the world of adult education. We know that educators (and all
adults, for that matter) prefer professional development relevant to their needs and has practical
use. Abundant research on adult learning has revealed the importance of offering learning
opportunities that are problem-centered, self-directed, and lead to the immediate utility of newly
acquired skills.
At MobileMind, we wholeheartedly believe that educators deserve high-quality, meaningful
professional development that is grounded in such research. Providing PD grounded in said
research is absolutely essential if any professional development initiative is to succeed. Our self-
paced, personalized micro-courses allow teachers to guide their own learning.
Each teacher can engage in training relevant to his or her unique challenges, needs, and goals. We
want teachers to know that their time is valued and for everyone to find success, whether they
are seeking Google certifications or if they are brand new Google users wanting to build
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foundational skills. We ensure they reach success by offering micro-courses geared towards
learners at any level. Finally, our hands-on challenges not only model the practicality of skills
acquired but also allow educators to begin creating materials they can use immediately in their
classrooms and schools.
2. Personalization. We often discuss personalizing the learning experience for students, but
traditional professional development typically fails to personalize PD for our educators. Honestly,
if you aren’t differentiating technology PD at scale for all your teachers, it’s a problem.
Teachers have told us countless times that a “one-size-fits-all” approach to technology training
doesn’t work, and research has revealed this issue repeatedly when it comes to traditional PD
offerings. If we train all teachers, leaders, and staff on the same content and in the same manner,
we are marginalizing the majority of our adult learners and losing their interest from the very
start, leading to failed technology adoption. If we want teacher buy-in, as discussed above, we
must provide differentiated learning experiences for teachers, just as we strive to do for our
students. So how do you effectively offer targeted technology PD based on varying proficiency
levels?
First, every single MobileMind micro-course is differentiated between beginner, intermediate,
and advanced. Most of the time educators will fall into one of these three groups. So, it is very
easy for a teacher to start learning based on their relative knowledge of a Google tool. Educators
can rate their skill levels across Google tools, and their micro-course library will be tailored to
meet their needs. Additionally, we have certification pathways that are also segmented based on
proficiency. For example, a brand-new user to Google may need to complete some early
foundational elements before they even think about things like Google Certification levels. They
could start with our Google Basics learning path. You may also have a veteran Google user wishing
to earn Google Educator certification - or even Google Trainer certification. We can help with that
as well! We empower educators to choose their own learning pathways based on their knowledge
and skills, as well as their professional goals.
Finally, we even offer micro-courses specific to leaders and staff. It’s great for an instructional
leader to know what to look for in the classroom, for instance, but how can leaders leverage
Google tools to improve school culture and productivity? We’ve got you covered there, too!
3. Sustainability. The pace of change in educational technology can make it seem nearly impossible
for teachers and EdTech leaders to stay current on updates and new features. Consider the
constant evolution of Google tools, for example. With frequent updates to key Google tools, such
as Google Drive and Classroom, there are simply not enough traditional training days to keep
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educators abreast of this dynamic suite of tools.

Many districts provided Google Classroom training during preplanning, for instance, only to watch
Classroom undergo some pretty significant updates a month or so later. We’ve also seen schools
receive Chromebooks or launch Google Workspace for Education in August or September, hoping
that they can start using the tools before their first dedicated PD day a month or two later. When
districts rely only on face-to-face training, educators are at the mercy of the district's schedule,
and it might be weeks or even months before teachers can receive initial training or refresh
training on tools they’re expected to be used in the classroom.
This helps explain the major shift to the concept of “always-on”, continuous learning. Educators
need to have access to PD that they can hop into at any time and from anywhere. In addition,
they need to up-to-date training on the tools they’re expected to be using regularly. This means
offering job-embedded, on-demand PD to our extremely busy educators that is regularly updated.
When developing the MobileMind professional learning hub, we kept in mind the need to be able
to update our content quickly based on the fact that technology is constantly evolving. So, it is
our job is to stay current with all Google applications and share updates with educators so you
don’t have to. Because we embrace a micro-learning methodology, we can shift very quickly when
Google enhances their tools, meaning we can update a course quickly for our teachers.
Lastly, because we have made MobileMind easily accessible and available anytime, we are
accomplishing our goal of facilitating meaningful job-embedded learning that is accommodating
to teachers. MobileMind data shows that on average our learners’ access at the highest volume
during work hours. This means that our Google PD is valuable and time conscious enough that
teachers are choosing the right time and place to learn for them, individually. This can often also
mean that they don’t have to learn after school hours following a long day of teaching. (We have
facilitated quite a bit of after-school PD, and we all know that it is less than ideal!)
We know that educators have so much on their plates, so to have anytime, anywhere access to
sustainable training at the click of a button is a win!
4. Time. There are a few challenging elements when it comes to the issue of time and facilitating
effective PD.
First, we struggle to find time to offer effective teacher training during the school day, week, and
even the school year. Not only does it consume quite a bit of time for the preparation itself, but
you often have to remove teachers from classroom instruction and get subs - or have them dig
into their own time for off-contract or after-hours PD.
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Second, we must consider new information we now have regarding the impact of time in relation
to actual learning. What do we mean by that? Studies have shown that our attention span has
declined significantly and steadily since the year 2000, or since the internet and digital tools
started to become mainstream. Several resources report these days that our attention span is less
than that of a goldfish. As educators ourselves, we’ve sat through hour-long and sometimes even
day-long PD sessions that failed to meet our needs. It is truly easy to become very resentful when
you feel that your time is not valued; we have felt this and have found through a great deal of
research that we are not alone! It is imperative that we acknowledge how much teachers already
have on their plates and then act accordingly when designing educator training.
So, how has our team at MobileMind addressed the challenge of time?
At MobileMind, we embrace micro-learning and personalization. We have created what we call
“micro-courses”, which are comprised of very brief learning videos (never longer than 5 minutes!)
supported by short, hands-on learning challenges. In addition, the ability for a teacher to
personalize his or her learning experience makes the learning process more efficient than one-
size-fits-all training that might not make the best use of educators’ valuable time.
Teachers can begin learning at the click of a (Chrome extension) button. They can filter their
personal micro-course library by their own learning goals. They can stop and then continue
learning at any time to fit their busy schedules. Finally, they receive human feedback for each
challenge submission, which further demonstrates how much we value each learner’s time and
energy. Within seconds, a teacher can click to begin learning something new… no subs needed,
no more dreaded after-school training, no more time wasted.
5. Limited Resources. We have heard from countless instructional leaders that the task of
training teachers spread out over many school buildings can be daunting. The combination of
multiple physical locations and the distance between them increases the difficulty of facilitating
sustainable training.
On top of this, in many schools and districts, there is typically a small number of dedicated
resources for training. This varies by district, but we see that the number of instructional resources
relative to the number of teachers is rarely a ratio that enables easy facilitation of PD for
technology like Google. Finally, there is very little visibility that instructional leaders can tap into
regarding how well teachers are doing after traditional PD is offered. Do they need more help?
Are they superstars who need a greater challenge? Either way, teachers (like students) need
different levels and training and varied content that meets their skills level and learning goals, and
instructional leaders need accurate visibility into teacher progress.
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MobileMind is cloud-based, accessible by a browser extension. Anytime, Anywhere access to

professional learning removes the physical barriers of training. And, while the value of face-to-
face learning has undisputed merits, one-off training is problematic when trying to provide
teachers with up-to-date PD on rapidly changing technology like Google, LMSs, and any other
popular edtech tools used.
At MobileMind we offer virtual, personalized PD, so we can establish multiple schools or groups
who can learn anytime and anywhere… during planning when they find 10 minutes or in their PJs
at home... whenever works best for each individual teacher!
What’s more, is that district or school leaders have a bird's eye view of teacher progress in
MobileMind and how many teachers at each school are engaging in PD. They can even drill down
into any group to see how active each teacher is at a particular school has been in MobileMind.
Not only does this provide visibility for accountability, but leaders also can gain insights into
training needs, teacher interest, struggling teachers, or previously unidentified teacher leaders.
We can build up those teacher rockstars and begin to accelerate adoption and build internal
capacity much more rapidly.
MobileMind’s cloud-based, location management gives us the ability to facilitate sustainable and
effective PD at scale, regardless of logistical challenges, while expanding the reach of instructional
resources and providing actionable insights to assist teacher progress.
6. Synchronization of PD. There has never been an edtech solution that has truly integrated both
synchronous and asynchronous professional learning efforts. This can make tracking continuing
education hours and offering a cohesive professional learning experience impossible for districts
that value continuous learning.
MobileMind Sync provides the only synchronized PD solution to K-12 school districts. From
workshops to conferences, MobileMind Sync allows leaders to easily create and schedule
synchronous training events, invite participants, track attendance, and more.
Districts can even assign prerequisite courses to learners before a synchronous event, share
related courses to complement live training, or offer replacement courses if learners cannot
attend.
Sync join codes make it possible for facilitators to automate tasks like taking attendance, awarding
credit hours, releasing digital badges after an event, and much more.
Synchronizing PD efforts brings teachers' professional learning full circle, and allows for a smooth
transition from in-person PD events and asynchronous events or training.
7. Systematic challenges. Fragile countries often have fragile education systems characterized by
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poor leadership, limited administrative capacity or inadequate budgets. Many fragile countries
are unable to provide teachers with salaries and working conditions or professional opportunities
that one finds in other professions. Fragile contexts often lack qualified personnel who can help
teachers master content or research, such as proven instructional or assessment strategies. And
they lack systems and incentives to encourage and help teachers improve their practice.
If there is some form of professional development, its effects may be nullified by problems related
to coordination between the entities that deal with professional development or between entities
that evaluate teachers. There are often problems with the quality and variety of the tools used to
observe and supervise teachers and provide them with feedback about their teaching.
8. Conflict. Not every fragile country is in conflict, but conflict obviously creates Hydra-like,
multilayered barriers to opportunities for teacher professional development. Holding classes for
students—not to mention teachers—is often inconceivable. Even when and where professional
development opportunities exist, it simply may be too dangerous for teachers to attend them.
Professional development providers may be seen as too closely aligned with an unpopular
government, in the case of civil conflict, and thus are potential targets. Infrastructure, such as
roads, electricity, cellular networks, Internet, landlines may be destroyed, thus making any
professional development, even distance learning, difficult or impossible. Additionally,
professional development offered to one social group at the exclusion of another may actually
contribute to the exacerbation of tension and/or violence.
9. Poorly designed professional development. This last barrier is both a consequence of the
above three (difficult working conditions, systematic challenges, and, in some cases, conflict) and
a cause of the lack of access to quality professional development. Not surprisingly, in many fragile
contexts, the professional development that does exist is episodic versus sustained and intensive.
It often reflects budget constraints, the lack of qualified facilitators, volatility, and logistical
challenges. It may often reflect policymakers’ and donors’ misunderstandings about who teachers
are and what they do and how they should learn. It may occur only on a short-term basis and be
disconnected from policies around teacher recruitment, assessment, retention, support, and
compensation. In areas recovering from conflict or natural disaster, it may be of an emergency
nature and thus not explicitly aligned with broader Ministry of Education goals and strategies. It
may not consider the tenets of adult learning or what we know to be best practices around
teacher learning. It may be designed and carried out by instructors who have no teaching
experience in general and no teaching experience in fragile contexts in particular. Not surprisingly,
it is often perceived by teachers as being of low quality and completely irrelevant—something to
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be endured rather than embraced.

10. Difficult working conditions. Not surprisingly, the greatest barrier to quality professional
development in fragile contexts is the difficult conditions in which teachers work. The lack of
(irregular, delayed or low) remuneration, overcrowded classrooms, the potential for (or
probability of) sexual harassment or abuse, a lack of respect from school leaders and community
members, violence in, to, and from school, too many needy students, and a lack of teaching and
learning materials, all contribute to such difficult working conditions. As they would be for
anyone, these conditions—both discretely and cumulatively—are often highly demotivating for
teachers and negatively affect teacher’s identity, efficacy and professionalism, all of which are
critical to effective teaching performance.
Conclusion: A paradigm shift is needed both by the public and by teachers themselves, about what the
role of teacher entails. Many in the public and in the profession believe that the only legitimate use of
teachers' time is standing in front of the class, working directly with students. In studies comparing how
teachers around the globe spend their time, it is clear that in countries such as Japan, teachers teach fewer
classes and use a greater portion of their time to plan, confer with colleagues, work with students
individually, visit other classrooms, and engage in other professional development activities (Darling-
Hammond, 1994, 1996). Bringing about changes in perspective that will enable the public and the
profession to understand and value teachers' professional development will require focused and concerted
effort. As Lucianne Carmichael has said, "Teachers are the first learners." Through their participation in a
professional learning community, teachers become more effective, and student outcomes increase - a goal
upon which we can all agree.
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Q4: Mode of distance education in Pakistan

Ans: In the Distance Education mode of education, students may not be required to be present in a
classroom, but that also maybe a question of option. For example in the Open Universities in
Pakistan, especially in the Allama Iqbal Open University, week end contact sessions are held. These are
optional, but for certain courses which have practical components such as those for computers, attendance
to the tune of about 90% is compulsory.

Methods of Distance Education:

1. Distance education these days are offered as an electronic classroom or Virtual Learning
Environment that it may or not be a part of a distance education set up. Electronic classrooms can
be both on campus, and off campus. We would call such institutions as using a 'flexible' delivery
mode.
2. Distance Education may also use all forms of technology, from print to the computer. This range
will include radio, television, audio video conferencing, computer aided instruction, e-learning/on-
line learning through internet etc.
3. Distance Education has traversed four to five 'generations' of technology in its history. These are
print, audio/video broadcasting, audio/video teleconferencing, computer aided instruction, e-
learning/ online-learning, computer broadcasting etc. Yet the radio remains a very viable form,
especially in the developing nations, because of its reach. In Pakistan the FM Channels are
becoming very popular and is being used by the national open university ( Virtual University) and
its consortia plus the state open universities, to broadcast educational programs of variety on areas
such as teacher education, rural development, programs in agriculture for farmers, science
education, creative writing, mass communication, in addition to traditional courses in liberal arts,
science and business administration.
4. Older models of distance education utilized regular mail to send written material, videos,
audiotapes, and CD-ROMs or other media storage format (e.g. SDRAM or Compact Flash cards)
to the student and to turn in the exercises. Today's distance education course makes use of E-mail,
the Web, and video conferencing over broadband network connections for both wired physical
locations and wireless mobile learning. In some countries, the material is supplemented by
television and radio programming. To compete with the conventional sector, course material must
be of very high quality and completeness, and will use modern technologies such as educational
animation. Distance education also involves time to time interaction with the faculty of the
University that offers the course.

An overview on the different online learning modes one could encounter:

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1. Asynchronous Online Courses. Fully online programs most often are delivered in an
asynchronous format, which simply means learning doesn’t take place live. Asynchronous online
courses don’t have set class meeting times. Instead, students are given lecture material and
assignments to complete within a broad window, such as one week. Online learners can access
coursework 24/7 whenever their busy schedules allow. Asynchronous learning relies heavily on
email, discussion boards, and wikis to foster student connection in delayed time. Although there
are syllabus deadlines, asynchronous online classes largely let students establish their own pace.
Project-based majors like marketing, computer science, creative writing, and public affairs work
well asynchronously.
2. Synchronous Online Courses. Synchronous literally translates to “at the same time.” Therefore,
online courses in synchronous format require students do the opposite and attend live sessions.
These online programs create times for professors and enrolled students to log onto the virtual
classroom concurrently. Similar to webinars, synchronous online courses invite learners to interact
through video conferencing, audio calls, chat rooms, and Internet podcasts. Many will require
online students purchase headsets for communication via VoIP rather than simply text. Taking
synchronous online courses can be more intrusive on your schedule, even though there’s no
commute required. But it’s ideal for speaking-based majors like public relations, counseling,
education, and Spanish.
3. Hybrid or Blended Courses. An alternative to fully online programs is hybrid distance learning.
Hybrid learning integrates both face-to-face and online coursework to maximize peer interaction.
Students pursuing hybrid or blended courses must attend on-campus residencies a few times during
the semester. These campus trips could be for laboratory work, service projects, clinical practicum,
or seminars. Most will be during evenings or weekends to accommodate professionals. Living near
the college is important to ensure travel expenses aren’t extensive. Between the in-person meetings,
students will complete class assignments online asynchronously. Blended courses are suitable for
applied majors requiring practice like nursing, engineering, visual art, and social work.
4. Massive Open Online Courses. Online courses usually charge tuition and carry credit as
their traditional counterparts do. Massive open online courses (MOOCs) are the exception. These
open-enrollment courses are accessible for free by anybody with an Internet connection. MOOCs
have become popular for helping students learn from elite universities without high prices. In 2015,
there were over 500 colleges offering 4,200 MOOCs for 35 million students. Massive open online
courses provide continuing education, but they lack transferable credit for finishing your degree.
MOOC students receive content electronically and interact with hordes of diverse peers. These
courses are typically presented by a higher education consortium like Coursera.
 17

5. Flipped or Inverted Online Courses. During the last few years, the flipped model has been
entering the online collegiate classroom. Sometimes called inverted, flipped online courses reverse
what occurs during synchronous sessions. Students are given content to read and video lectures to
watch individually. Then, online classes meet to focus wholly on case analysis and projects.
Completing lectures as homework frees precious conferencing time for problem-solving in teams.
Instructors will act as advisors to address any misconceptions from the readings. Active, student-
centered learning is a major benefit from inverted courses. Online programs applying the flipped
philosophy are often in mathematics, sciences, and humanities.
6. Web-Enhanced Courses. It’s common for prospective online students to think Web-
enhanced courses belong among the above five online learning modes. However, these are just like
traditional classes. Web-enhanced courses still meet on-campus at a specific location and time. The
only difference is certain content components will be available online 24/7. Web-enhanced courses
generally use Blackboard, Canvas, or other systems to supplement what’s learned in class. Students
may post to discussion boards, review audio files, or even submit homework online. Web-enhanced
courses bring technology into lecture halls to make accessing material and grades easier, but they
won’t replace your physical seat time.

Conclusion: Distance education has been a great initiative for Pakistan, as its socioeconomic situation
has prevented a high enrollment in formal education by people in rural areas rural, females and some
professionals; the idea of establishing distance education and open university systems have been developed
to address this problem. As a result, there are many steps that have been taken by government of Pakistan
for education, and one of those is to initiate virtual classes in schools, colleges and universities. The world’s
second open university was established in Pakistan by a federal charter in 1974.

Furthermore, there are two research programmes such as PERN and IEARN that have linked the research
and education of Pakistan with the world. They use digital libraries to participate in online-based curriculum
projects, which enhance the potential of students to share knowledge and research globally. Radio
programmes are also developed in collaboration with UNICEF to raise issues that create awareness in
society regarding gender discrimination, corporal punishment and other issues.

Q5: Importance of teacher’s professional development

Ans: Introduction. Education is a learning cycle without an end. It is not going to stop after graduation
and starting a career. Continuing education helps career-minded individuals to continually improve their
skills and become more professional at their work. It is particularly important for school administrators in
 18

the field of primary and secondary education management to enable professional development for teachers,
not only to give their students the best learning results but also to be more effective and fulfilled throughout
various other aspects of their job.

Importance of Professional Development. Professional development is the strategy schools and

school districts use to ensure that educators continue to strengthen their practice throughout their career.
The most effective professional development engages teams of teachers to focus on the needs of their
students. They learn and problem solve together in order to ensure all students achieve success. School
systems use a variety of schedules to provide this collaborative learning and work time for teachers. When
time set aside for professional development is used effectively and parents receive reports about student
results, they realize the benefits to teachers and their students far outweigh the scheduling inconvenience.
When communities see their schools making steady upward progress, they applaud the role of effective
professional development.

1. Need of Professional Development. College and university programs cannot provide the
extensive range of learning experiences necessary for graduates to become effective public school
educators. Once students graduate, meet their state’s certification requirements, and are employed,
they learn through experience. As in all professions, new teachers and principals take years to gain
the skills they need to be effective in their roles. The complexity of teaching is so great that one-
third of teachers leave the profession within three years and 50% leave within five years. Even
experienced teachers confront great challenges each year, including changes in subject content,
new instructional methods, advances in technology, changed laws and procedures, and student
learning needs. Educators who do not experience effective professional development do not
improve their skills, and student learning suffers.

2. Better Learning Outcomes for Students. Educational technology, guidelines for school
districts, and standards for curricula are continually changing. This makes it challenging for
teachers to keep up with trends and best practices in the field. Professional development for teachers
turns teachers into stronger and more fitting teachers by allowing them to produce useful and
personalized lessons for the students today. Research has shown that as a result of student
achievement will increase by as much as 21 percentile points as a result of professional
development for teachers. Professionalism in teacher education is the dire need of the hour.
Knowledge and experience alone are not enough for teachers in their entire careers to supporting
them. National Board Certification is one option for teachers abroad for seeking professional
development and for adhering to the current educational standards to ensure optimal learning for
students. Studies have supported that students taught by the teachers who had National Board
 19

Certification had higher scores in all subjects as compared to the students of the teachers without a
National Board Certification.

3. Teachers Find New Ways to Teach. Through discovering new teaching strategies through
professional development for teachers, educators can go back to the classroom and make
changes to their teaching styles and curricula to better suit their students ' needs. Nonetheless,
these improvements are difficult to assess, as they are usually introduced slowly. Through
introducing educators to new delivery techniques, assessment styles, and record-keeping
approaches, professional development for teachers makes them more effective in their
presentations and course assessments.

4. Teachers Develop Better Skills in Organizing and Management. Much of the teachers'
time is spent on student evaluations, curriculum development, and other paperwork in addition to
the hours spent in classroom preparation. Professional development for teachers can help teachers
to plan their time better and stay organized. This makes teachers more efficient and gives them
extra time to focus not on paperwork but students.

5. Teachers Gain Knowledge and Insight into Industry. Students expect teachers to be specialists
in the subject matter for the topics they teach. Professional development for teachers ensures that
teachers should be able to answer every question that a student throws in. Professional development
programs will allow teachers to expand their knowledge base in various areas of the subject. The
more the professional development a teacher undergoes, the more he or she develops knowledge
and insight into the industry.

6. Teachers Want to Pursue Their Education. Teachers find it easy to get burdened with the
grind of teaching. Professional development for teachers gives them a chance to step out of their
routine— they become the student rather than the teacher. It keeps educators motivated as they
know they get the professional assistance they need to be better teachers. It keeps educators
motivated as they know they get the professional support they need to be better teachers. After all,
professional development nurtures the skills of teachers willing to take on leadership positions in
education, and teachers need to learn from other experienced leaders to become effective leaders
themselves in the future.

7. Why Should Teachers Set Professional Goals? Professional development and the setting of
goals go hand in hand. The time to devote to courses and seminars may seem hard to schedule,
but the extra time is worth it to become the best teacher you can be. Setting career teaching goals
 20

that are both realistic and achievable will help you achieve what you would like. Goals must be
measurable by setting a timeline. You must see how far you can go as a teacher.

8. List of Professional Goals for Teachers. The secret to moving your career forward is to reflect,
plan, prepare, and take action. Setting goals on a calendar will give you a timetable and a
concentration. For example, each quarter (3 months), make a goal of attending a talk or seminar
on professional development. Choose and record a subject you would like to know more about
or are unfamiliar with though it is something as small as a one-hour webinar. Take notes, absorb
the information, and make good use of your newfound knowledge. It is vital that as a teacher, you
ask specific questions to yourself like; What would I want to do in my classroom? What
professional goals should I set so that my classroom has the best learning atmosphere? How do I
interact with my classroom in a better way? etc. Once the goals are set, a teacher needs to work
hard towards it in order to get a sense of accomplishment.

Implementing the advancement of professional education has advantages for both teachers and
students, but, most significantly, it helps teachers become better educators and grow into
qualified future school administrators. Ultimately professional development for teachers helps a
teacher overcome all the significant obstacles he or she faces in the classroom and is an ideal way
to build a classroom of dreams!

9. Professional Development Can Help Overcome Failures. Think of failures as an

opportunity for improvement. If you’ve had past failures in your classroom, for example, with
classroom management, these issues can be hard to overcome. Through professional development,
it is possible to learn how to overcome these challenges. Professional development for a teacher is
about improving and moving forward. Taking these courses is how you learn to overcome the
challenges you are facing in the classroom. It is about acquiring new skills and becoming a better
teacher. You will gain confidence by learning new methods and information about your field.
Professional development for a teacher is important for both new teachers and veteran teachers.
Life-long learning will keep you motivated and thinking positively and will help you gain the
confidence to overcome any obstacles you face in the classroom. Professional development is about
becoming the best-equipped teacher you can be, and so it should be an important part of your career
development.

Conclusion. Great teachers are both passionate and purposeful. They are passionate about their students
and what they teach, and purposeful in their design of teaching. Great teachers develop over time through
 21

their commitment to learning—both their students’ and their own. And because they recognize that the
most important factor for students’ success is the quality of instruction, great teachers pursue continuous
improvement.
 22

Q6: Student support services, its concept and importance

Ans: Introduction. Comprehensive and coordinated student support services are critically important
for the social, emotional and character development of students and the development of learning climates
that are conducive to student achievement of high academic standards. Student support services foster
positive relationships among educators and students, thereby increasing students’ attachment to school, and
serve as an essential link between students and, their families and school resources and community-based
health and social services.

What is Student Support Services? Student services are all the services provided by the distance
education’s provider to the students (prospective and matriculated) to facilitate their success at the learning
institution.
Judith Potter (1998) defined student support services as “the many forms of assistance that are intended to
both remove barriers (situational, institutional, dispositional, and informational) and promote academic
success”. Programs developed for the purpose of supporting low-income students and providing additional
resources. Student support services refers to all services (academic and non-academic) offered to Blended
Learning students. The phrase is used interchangeably with learner support services.

Concept of Student Support Services. The student services concept is used to describe the divisions or
departments which provide services and student support in higher education. Its purpose is to ensure the
students growth and development during the academic experience. Amid increasing diversity of students
admitted to college, there has evolved additional support services that have contributed to the academic and
personal development of students, including academic skills development programs and specific support to
students who have difficulty learning or adapting to university life. Such services contribute to the quality
of the academic experience and help students to achieve learning potential. The functioning and
organization pattern of student services varies from country to country. In some countries these services are
part of university management (integrated into a student services department) in others, such as France,
they are outsourced to specialized organizations.

Student Services in Academic Systems. Student services are seen as key components of many
academic systems. Mass recruitment into higher education has diversified student populations. In
developing countries for example, students from disadvantaged groups, women, rural youth and ethnic or
religious minorities have now the opportunity to study at a higher level. The student’s continuing concern
is therefore necessary to ensure success in current higher education.

The Role of Student Services. Student support and services contribute to the quality of their learning
experience and their academic success. Studies show that the most important factors in education quality
assurance are: quality of teaching / learning and service systems and support for students. Therefore the
 23

importance of support activities for the students is obvious but also presents the management of services
with difficulties due to the increasing number of students and their needs. They help to decrease the
university dropout rate and increase the diversity of student’s experience. Without effective student
services, students that do not have an academic, emotional and social connection with the institution at
cultural level are more likely to give up their studies. An important role of student services is to prepare
students for active participation in society. Along with teachers and non-governmental organizations they
contribute to increased learning opportunities and community involvement by organizing or promoting
internships, experiential units or short-term experiences, integrated into the curricula.

Importance. Comprehensive and coordinated student support services are critically important for the
social, emotional and character development of students and the development of learning climates that are
conducive to student achievement of high academic standards. These services take a major role in
encouraging and establishing open methods of making decisions and rationally resolving conflicts. The
manner in which the policies are created, with which the decisions are made and controversial topics are
addressed, is as important as the results. The institution gives students a series of values by the way of
addressing policies, decisions and problems.

Discrepancy between the Range of Services. Among the services available to students, the most
important are those which meet their academic, personal development and emotional needs. Studies have
shown that a discrepancy exists between the range of services for students officially declared and their
accessibility and practical use. For example, there is an ambiguity regarding the role of the tutor and an
inconsistency in terms of its support, which suggests that there is a need to review the practical role that it
plays.

Support Services. Institutions should develop policies and strategies for the design and provision of
student support services. Although the delivery of student support services may vary between institutions,
some aspects of student support should be considered in all eLearning programmes.

Summarizing, support services for e-learning students should be designed to cover the pedagogic, technical
and administrative aspects that affect the online learner:

• Clear and up-to date information and advice about courses should be provided to enable students to make
informed choices.

• Information and advice about technical and administrative matters should be easily accessible
 24

• Guidance, resources and activities should be provided to support students on their journey through
university, including induction, pastoral support, the development of generic study skills and e-learning
skills, and career advice.

• Staffed helpdesk and advisory services should be provided at times appropriate to students’ needs.

• Online library services should be provided to e-learning students. Study centers may be appropriate for
some courses.

• Students should be supported through online communities.

Student Support Organization. Organizing student support at an institutional level, perhaps as the
responsibility of a unit or department, is key to the quality of support that a student receives. This requires
a holistic approach with student support planning based on previous analyses of students’ needs and
demands, considering different learner groups and the specific characteristics of lifelong learners.
Institutional planning should integrate different types of resources, coordinating staff to give support in
academic, technical, administrative, and other relevant areas. Promotion of student success, satisfaction and
retention should be the main objectives. Support services encompass all those aspects of the university
experience other than the specific teaching and learning elements of a course. This covers administrative,
technical and pastoral aspects, and includes induction, course choice and careers advice. Some generic
academic provision can also be considered under this heading, particularly library facilities and support for
study skills such as digital literacy.

Responsibility towards Academic Institutions.While student service functionality differs from one
institution to another, certain expectations and responsibilities are common to most university campuses.
Some address the institution as a whole, others are specific to students’ needs and interests. Here are the
main responsibilities for both types of relations: student services-academic institution and student services-
students.

On relationship with academic institutions:

• Provides support and explain the values, mission and policies of the institution

• Participates in leadership and takes responsible decisions

• Evaluates the social experiences of students in order to improve programs efficiency

• Establishes policies and programs that contribute to campus safety

 25

• Supports the institution's values by developing and imposing students’ standards

• Supports the student's participation in institutional governance

• Provides essential services such as admissions, registration, counselling, financial aid, health, housing and
so on, in accordance with the mission and objectives of the institution.

• Represents the institutional resource to work with students individually or in groups.

• Encourages student-university / college interaction through programs and activities

• Supports and contributes to the creation of ethnic and cultural diversity

• Takes a leadership role in crisis situations

• Is active intellectually and professionally

• Establishes and maintain effective working relationships with the local community.

Conclusion. The student services value needs greater recognition, support and development in the
interests of all students. Student services contribute to the quality of students learning experience and their
academic success, contribute as well at university dropout rate decrease and to the increase of student’s life
diversity, encouraging and establishing open method of making rational decisions and also resolving
conflicts and prepare students for active involvement in society. For the development of this aspects it is
required that there is a focus on fostering student involvement as both users and beneficiaries. The role of
student services is influenced by relation with higher education institution and students. The composition
of the student group, the knowledge and beliefs of academic staff and administrative staff influences the
manner and responsibility in which the student programs and services are delivered. The World Declaration
on Higher Education highlights the need to develop student services worldwide. It is imperative that higher
education institutions provide services and programs that promote the quality of student life, to meet its
needs and to improve learning and success achievements.
 26

Q7: Concept and scope of classroom practices, its importance

Ans: Introduction. Classroom practice, as a process, involves multiple agents and their interactions
within the classroom as a system. The process can be manifested in diverse formats and structures, and its
effectiveness can be influenced by numerous factors both internal and external to the classroom. Research
on classroom practice can thus take different perspectives, and much remains to be examined and
understood as we all try to improve teaching and learning through classroom practice.

Definition. Set of strategies and instructional methods that characterize the interaction between
teachers and students in the classroom, which are meant to promote learning, as well as develop and manage
pupil’s behavior. Classroom practices includes classroom management, pedagogy, learning activities, as
well as students’ engagement in learning and the use of instructional time.

Concept. There are many classroom practices that are proven to have a positive impact on your
teaching and student learning - some of which you may have encountered in the development of your own
teaching, others for which there is scholarly evidence.

These practices encourage you to consider the location and size of your class, current events, strategies or
methods to develop specific skills, activities to achieve your course goals, and ways to increase the clarity
of the content you teach.

Effective Classroom Practices.

1. Classroom Expectations

2. Classroom Procedures & Routines

3. Encouraging Expected Behavior

4. Discouraging Inappropriate Behavior

5. Active Supervision

6. Opportunities to Respond

7. Activity Sequencing & Choice

8. Task Difficulty
 27

Examples of classroom practices are as follows:

1. Educators and learners’ model desired behaviors and attitudes such as those set forth in the Life
Principles and the Eight Expectations for Living.
2. Educators and learners speak in complete sentences and address one another by name,
demonstrating mutual respect and common courtesy.
3. Learners are taught thoroughly and to mastery, ensuring success for all. Whole group instruction
is interwoven with flexible group instruction and individual instruction.
4. Learning experiences are integrated, related to the real world, reviewed consistently, and
connected to subsequent curricula.
5. Critical thinking skills are taught.
6. The environment is non-threatening and conducive to risk-taking. Mistakes are viewed as
opportunities to learn and grow.
7. Memory work, recitations, and/or writing occur daily. These enhance character development and
effective communication skills while extending curricula.
8. Enriched vocabulary is evident and is drawn directly from challenging writings, informational text,
and/or wisdom literature.
9. The Magic Triad, a positive and caring environment, and discipline with dignity and logic are
evident.
10. Learners’ work is displayed in some form. Positive and timely feedback is provided through oral
and/or written commentary.
11. Word identification skills are used as a foundation for expanding the use of the English language.
12. Learners assume responsibility for their own behavior. Their choices determine consequences.
13. A school, class, or personal creed is recited or reflected upon daily to reaffirm commitment to
excellence.
14. All learners experience success. The educator guarantees it by comparing learners to their own
past performance, not the performance of others. Learners are showcased, and past failures are
disregarded.
15. Educators teach on their feet, thus utilizing proximity. They engage learners personally, hold high
expectations of learners, and should not limit learners to grade level or perceived ability.
16. Educators and learners employ effective interpersonal communications skills.
17. Educators and learners celebrate the successes of others.
 28

Effective Classroom Managers. Effective classroom managers are known not only by what they
do when misbehavior occurs, but by what they do to set their classrooms up for academic success and to
prevent problems from occurring. Studies continue to tell us that in many classrooms, up to half of the
school day is lost to discipline and other non-instructional activities. Academic learning time, or the amount
of time that students are actively and productively engaged in learning, is a strong determinant of
achievement. Therefore, it is essential that our efforts extend the positive, proactive, and instructional
approaches developed and used school-wide and in non-classroom settings into classroom practices.

Increase Academic Learning Time. Eight classroom practices have been identified that have been
shown to increase the likelihood of appropriate behavior and decrease problem behavior while increasing
academic learning time. The first four of these eight practices include: 1) clarifying expectations, 2)
classroom procedures and routines, 3) strategies to encourage expected behavior, and 4) strategies to
discourage inappropriate behavior. These practices impact instructional time–the proportion of time
allocated for instruction that actually results in teaching. In many classrooms, the lack of clear procedures
and routines (e.g., how to behave in small groups, participation during large group work, independent
seatwork behavior, etc.), disruptive student behavior (e.g., out of seat, peer conflicts, etc.), and lengthy
transitions, contribute to significantly diminished instructional time. Four additional practices include: 1)
active supervision, 2) opportunities to respond, 3) sequencing and choice of activities, and 4) task difficulty.
These practices positively impact engaged time, that proportion of instructional time where students are
actively engaged in learning as evidenced by paying attention, responding frequently and accurately,
completing work, and interacting appropriately with peers about assigned work.

Implementation of Classroom Practices. Together, these eight practices impact academic learning
time and ultimately student achievement while ensuring a positive learning environment. Implementing
these evidence-based practices has been shown to maximize learning for all students while minimizing
discipline problems. Many of the effective classroom practices we have discussed set the stage for, or
increase the probability that, expected academic or social behavior will occur.

Effect of Classroom Practices

1. Establish clear classroom expectations.

2. Increase predictability through clear procedures and routines.

3. Teach and review expected behaviors and routines. • Use pre-corrects to prompt students about
expectations
 29

4. Actively supervise–moving, scanning, and interacting.

5. Provide a high number of opportunities to respond to academic material with high rates of success

6. Use a brisk pace of instruction.

7. Intersperse brief and easy tasks among difficult ones.

8. Increase student engagement with learning and task completion while displaying expected social
behaviors.

9. Provide high rates of specific positive feedback.

10. Use a full continuum of positive consequences.

Teacher Self-Assessment of the Effective Classroom Practices. The Teacher Self-Assessment of

the Effective Classroom Practices is a tool that has many uses. It defines staff expectations for each
Effective Classroom Practice. It may be used by teachers to self-assess their implementation of each
classroom practice. It also is a planning tool the institutes can use to guide teachers as each Effective
Classroom Practices is being introduced. It may also be used as part of an overall check of implementation
fidelity when walk-through observations are done.

Encouraging Classroom Social Behavior. The consistent delivery of teacher praise or specific
positive feedback and the use of related reinforcement serve as an important first step to firmly establish
predictable and positive classrooms. In The ratio of positive to negative adult attention is necessary to create
an optimal learning environment, and to develop a menu of meaningful reinforcers specific to the student
and the setting. Research and common sense tell us when teachers increase their rates of specific positive
feedback and reinforcement of desired classroom behavior, student behavior improves and teacher-student
relationships are enhanced.

Conclusion. Classroom practices includes classroom management, pedagogy, learning activities, as

well as students’ engagement in learning and the use of instructional time. These practices encourage you
to consider the location and size of your class, current events, strategies or methods to develop specific
skills, activities to achieve your course goals, and ways to increase the clarity of the content you teach.
Eight classroom practices have been identified that have been shown to increase the likelihood of
appropriate behavior and decrease problem behavior while increasing academic learning time.
 30

Q8: Types of student support services, Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) student support
services.
Ans: Introduction. Comprehensive and coordinated student support services are critically important
for the social, emotional and character development of students and the development of learning climates
that are conducive to student achievement of high academic standards. Student support services foster
positive relationships among educators and students, thereby increasing students’ attachment to school, and
serve as an essential link between students and, their families and school resources and community-based
health and social services. Information on the effective coordination and delivery of these services is
provided below.

Counseling Resources for Students. Counseling and Psychological Services provides support for
students in need of help and advice for faculty if you find you have a situation you are unsure how to handle.

Academic Support for Students

Academic Development offers many services and resources to students in need of academic help:

1. Peer tutoring

2. Supplemental instruction

3. Academic counseling

4. Walk-in and individual tutoring

5. Information on:

a. Note-taking

b. Time-management

c. Exam preparation

d. Stress management

International Faculty and Student Support. The Intercultural Communications Center offers services
and resources to students from other cultural backgrounds to help with:

1. Developing language skills

2. Adjusting to the culture of the American classroom

 31

3. Information on cultural differences that have implications for the classroom “Cultural Variations”.

Global Communication Center. The Global Communication Center (GCC) provides free
consulting to help CMU students, faculty, and staff convey their ideas logically, clearly, and effectively in
one-on-one sessions, and classroom workshops.

Students with Disabilities. Disability Services provides information on how Faculty and Staff can
assist students with disabilities. By law, we are required to make reasonable accommodations for students
with documented disabilities.

Career counselling. Attending career counselling workshops at university is the perfect way to explore
motivations and assets, the skills one could offer a business, and careers one would be a good match for.
Career counselling is especially useful if students aren’t quite sure which direction to head in. It will help
them discover new options and decide on a pathway. The university careers center can also help students
when applying for jobs, searching for internships or contacting alumni in their sector.

Campus healthcare. Some universities offer a student medical service on campus with flexible
appointments, telephone consultations, walk-ins and healthcare professionals dedicated to assisting
students. Whether they’d like advice on contraception or are suffering from a bout of “Freshers’ flu”, the
campus nurse or doctor should put students at ease so that they feel comfortable speaking freely about any
medical issues bothering them.

Networking training and events. To increase students’ employability, it’s useful to start building a
professional network as soon as possible. If networking doesn’t come so easily to them (or indeed, terrifies
them!), make use of student services designed to make networking less intimidating. To help them
maximize their chances of success, networking workshops are offered teaching students how to approach
professionals both online and offline, and also organizes regular events linking students with professionals.

Conclusion. Quality student support services foster positive relationships among educators and
students, and help increase a students’ attachment to school. They also serve as additional positive adult
role models, which is an important link between students, their families, school resources and community-
based health and social services. The Student Support Services Committee studies and recommends policies
and procedures for consideration in the following areas: school counseling and guidance, nursing/health
services, speech pathology, psychology, social work, library services, and welfare and attendance services.
 32

Q9: Student Evaluation System, its concept and scope, types of evaluation.
Ans: Introduction. Student evaluation is another means of receiving feedback on instruction. It may
also be one of the most contested methods. Evaluation is a process through which we can get an exact idea
of what students actually achieve from their teaching-learning experiences. It is the process of making
judgments based on evidences and interpretations gathered through examination and assessment and on the
basis of agreed upon criteria.

Definition. Evaluation is a continuous process and is concerned with more than the formal academic
achievement of the students. It is interested in the development of the individual in terms of the desirable
behavioral changes in relation to his feelings and actions.

Concept of Evaluation. In every walk of life the process of evaluation takes place in one or the
other form. If the evaluation process is eliminated from human life then perhaps the aim of life may be lost.
It is only through evaluation that one can discriminate between good and bad. The whole cycle of social
development revolves around the evaluation process. In education how much, a child has succeeded in his
aims, can only be determined through evaluation. Thus, there is a close relationship between evaluation and
aims. Education is considered as an investment in human beings in terms of development of human
resources, skills, motivation, knowledge and the like. Evaluation helps to build an educational programme,
assess its achievements and improve upon its effectiveness.

It serves as an in-built monitor within the programme to review the progress in learning from time to time.
It also provides valuable feedback on the design and the implementation of the programme. Thus,
evaluation plays a significant role in any educational programme.

Evaluation plays an enormous role in the teaching-learning process. It helps teachers and learners to
improve teaching and learning. It is a continuous process and a periodic exercise.

It helps in forming the values of judgement, educational status, or achievement of student. Evaluation in
one form or the other is inevitable in teaching-learning, as in all fields of activity of education judgements
need to be made.

Characteristics.

1. Continuous process: Evaluation is a continuous process. It leads together with Teaching-learning

process.

2. Comprehensive: Evaluation is comprehensive as it includes everything can be evaluated.

 33

3. Learners-Centered: Evaluation is a learner-centered process which gives importance to the

learning process, not to the teaching process.

4. Remedial: Evaluation comments on the result which helps in remedial work it is not a remedy
Evaluation is remedial in nature.

5. Cooperative process: Evaluation is a cooperative process involving students, teachers, parents,

and peer groups.

6. Teaching Methods: Effectiveness of teaching methods is evaluation.

7. Common practice: Evaluation is a common practice among the proper growth of the child
mentally and physically

8. Multiple Aspects: it is concerned with the total personality of students.

Elements of Evaluation Systems.

Five essential elements of evaluation systems:

1. Audience

2. Purpose

3. Questions

4. Scope

5. Resources

To determine these elements, the following questions should be considered:

1. For what audience is the evaluation being conducted?

2. For what purpose is the evaluation being conducted?

3. What questions will be asked in the evaluation?

4. What is the scope of the evaluation?

 34

5. What resources are available to conduct the evaluation?

Process of Evaluation Systems. The process of evaluation for teaching-learning system comprises
of four major steps. The stages are the following:

1. Setting Objectives and Criteria

2. Development and Use of Measurement instruments

3. Interpretation of Collected Data

4. Formulation of Judgments and taking of appropriate Action

Types of Evaluation Systems. In the various form of instruction, evaluation is integrated. There are four
types of evaluation systems:

1. Placement evaluation: It determines the knowledge and skills the students possess, which are
necessary at the beginning of instruction in a given subject area. The purpose of placement
evaluation is to check the aptitude of a candidate for the course or subject, whether the candidate
has caliber or not. Various entrance exams can also be conducted for the same purpose. This is
also done to see the knowledge base of students, and a teacher can start discussion keeping that
in view.
2. Formative evaluation: A formative evaluation (also referred to as internal evaluation) is a method
for judging the worth of a programme while the programme activities are in progress. It focuses
on the process. This evaluation provides the student with feedback regarding his or her success
or failure in attaining the instructional objectives. It also identifies the specific learning error that
needs to be corrected.
For instance, a student learns and scores high on the objective part of the test but fails in the
essay part; he is reinforced to exert more effort in answering essay questions in the succeeding
tests. For a teacher, formative evaluation provides information for making instructions and
remedies more effective. Quizzes, unit tests, and chapter tests are examples of evaluative
instruments used in this type of evaluation.
3. Diagnostic evaluation: The formative evaluation determines the extent to which students
accomplish the learning targets; therefore, it focuses on the measurement of the intended
outcomes. The diagnostic evaluation goes a step further and tries to provide an explanation for
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the possible causes for problems in learning. Diagnostic tests are, thus, more comprehensive and
detailed.
4. Summative evaluation (external evaluation): Summative evaluation is a method of judging the
worth of a programme at the end of the programme activities (summation). The focus is on the
outcome. It determines the extent to which objectives of instruction have been achieved and is
used for assigning course grades. Summative evaluation generally includes oral reports, projects,
term papers, and teacher-made achievement tests, and it shows how good or how satisfactory
the student is in accomplishing the objectives of instruction.

Uses of Evaluation System

1. Teaching: Evaluation is concerned with assessing the effectiveness of teaching, teaching strategies,
methods and techniques. It provides feedback to the teachers about their teaching and the learners
about their learning.

2. Curriculum: The improvement in courses/curricula, texts and teaching materials is brought about
with the help of evaluation.

3. Society: Evaluation provides accountability to society in terms of the demands and requirements
of the employment market.

4. Parents: Evaluation mainly manifests itself in a perceived need for regular reporting to parents.

Functions of Evaluation System. Evaluation plays a vital role in teaching learning experiences. It is
an integral part of the instructional programmes. It provides information’s on the basis of which many
educational decisions are taken. We are to stick to the basic function of evaluation which is required to be
practiced for pupil and his learning processes. Evaluation has the following functions:

1. Placement Functions
2. Instructional Functions
3. Diagnostic Functions
4. Predictive functions
5. Administrative Functions
6. Guidance Functions
7. Motivation Functions
8. Development Functions
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9. Research Functions
10. Communication Functions

What makes a Good Evaluation? A well-planned and carefully executed evaluation will reap more
benefits for all stakeholders than an evaluation that is thrown together hastily and retrospectively. Though
you may feel that you lack the time, resources, and expertise to carry out an evaluation, learning about
evaluation early-on and planning carefully will help you navigate the process.

Good evaluation is tailored to your program and builds on existing evaluation knowledge and resources.
Your evaluation should be crafted to address the specific goals and objectives of your program. However,
it is likely that other environmental educators have created and field-tested similar evaluation designs and
instruments. Rather than starting from scratch, looking at what others have done can help you conduct a
better evaluation.

Good evaluation is inclusive. It ensures that diverse viewpoints are considered and that results are as
complete and unbiased as possible. Input should be sought from all of those involved and affected by the
evaluation such as students, parents, teachers, program staff, or community members.

Good evaluation is honest. Evaluation results are likely to suggest that your program has strengths as well
as limitations. Your evaluation should not be a simple declaration of program success or failure. Evidence
that your program is not achieving all of its ambitious objectives can be hard to swallow, but it can also
help you learn where to best put your limited resources.

Good evaluation is replicable and its methods are as rigorous as circumstances allow. A good evaluation is
one that is likely to be replicable, meaning that someone else should be able to conduct the same evaluation
and get the same results. The higher the quality of your evaluation design, its data collection methods and
its data analysis, the more accurate its conclusions and the more confident others will be in its findings.

Conclusion. In brief, evaluation is a very important requirement for the education system. It fulfills
various purposes in systems of education like quality control in education, selection/entrance to a higher
grade or tertiary level. It also helps one to take decisions about success in specific future activities and
provides guidance to further studies and occupation. Some of the educationist’s view evaluation virtually
synonymous with that of learner appraisal, but evaluation has an expanded role. It plays an effective role in
questioning or challenging the objectives.
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Q10: Student Evaluation System in Pakistan and USA.

Ans: Introduction. The Higher Education Commission Pakistan is systematically implementing the
five-year (2002 -2007) agenda for reforms outlined in the HEC Medium Term Development Framework
(MTDF). The key components identified in the MTDF are Access, Quality and Relevance. U.S. educators
have developed an extensive body of theory and an array of evaluation and assessment methods and
techniques to assist in the identification of student learning styles and needs, the diagnosis of learning
disabilities and related developmental issues, the classification of interests and abilities, the assessment of
instructional and program quality and effectiveness, and the measurement of student learning and
achievement. Detailed and continuous evaluation and assessment is part of every educational program and
is important in a system that does not rely on framework laws or uniform national examinations as templates
to determine academic program content or student tracking and achievement.

Evaluation Systems in Pakistan

A total of eleven standards are defined and all the eleven standards are equally important to be met by the
HEIs to achieve the desired certification to quality provision in higher education, international visibility
and significant place in the regional and international rankings of the HEIs.

Various performance evaluation standards outlining major areas to be focused on by the HEIs for evaluation
of their effectiveness and future development are given below:
Standard 1: Mission Statement and Goals
Standard 2: Planning and Evaluation
Standard 3: Organization and Governance
Standard 4: Integrity
Standard 5: Faculty
Standard 6: Students
Standard 7: Institutional Resources
Standard 8: Academic Programmes and Curricula
Standard 9: Public Disclosure and Transparency
Standard 10: Assessment & Quality Assurance
Standard 11: Student Support Service
Importance of Student Evaluation for Institutions. The institution regularly evaluates its actions and
achievements in conformity with its mission and goals. The evaluation results provide a fair and systematic
set of information to help in intuitional improvement with emphasis on academic programs. Evaluation
enables an institution to verify with reliable means its achievement in accomplishing its goals and objectives
inside and outside the classroom both in a quantitative and qualitative manner. The results of the evaluation
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inform about the institutional planning effectiveness in relation to resource allocation programs and learning
outcomes as well as future development.

Context. The Institutions face the challenge of maintaining a balance among its goals, directions
from the Government, and expectations of all those to whom it is accountable, and the availability of
resources. The growth and development of an effective institution depends upon a rational and consistent
inbuilt process of self-assessment and planning. The nature and quality of planning conducted by an
institution is considered to be the best indicator of its effectiveness which is further linked up with its
capability to achieve its own goals and flexibility to simultaneously respond to the dynamics of the
prevailing environment. Thus, with efficient planning, along with clarity of mission and strategic thinking,
an institution continues to meet its purpose and goals, while creating equal opportunity for further
development.

Fundamental Elements. An HEC recognized institution is expected to conduct a process of

planning which is:

• Based on the institution’s mission, goals, activities, future engagements and evaluation results
• Clearly communicated to all concerned participants and incorporates the results of self-
assessments
• Based on well-defined decision-making process and authority
• Based on assignment of responsibility for quality improvements and accountability
• Responsible to maintain the records of success in implementing the planned goals and for the
subsequent results of implementation
• Assessed periodically focusing on the effectiveness of planning, resource allocation, institutional
growth and development

Significance of Totality for Institutions & Evaluators. The totality created by fundamental elements and
other relevant information regarding institution under evaluation is significant for institutions and
evaluators in order to make correct and informed decisions. Fundamental elements, context statements and
evidences of fulfillment of standards should not be used separately as check lists for decision making. For
instance, an institution may not possess evidence for a specific fundamental element but demonstrate the
fulfillment of that standard through 6 alternative information and analysis. Therefore, totality of the
analytical concept is significantly important to follow the best practices of decision making for institutional
performance evaluation. Another thing is also important to understand that these standards are minimum
requirement for an HEC recognized institution however; HEIs may raise these standards up to desired level
to achieve excellence in academia.
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Evaluation Systems in USA

A variety of evaluation systems are used in U.S. education. The decision on what evaluation system to use
is a matter within the exclusive authority of the individual school or higher education institution, and usually
up to the individual faculty member or disciplinary department within the school or institution. There is no
nationally mandated evaluation scheme in the United States. The examples described below are only some
of the most frequently encountered evaluation systems.

Norm-Referenced Evaluation Systems. Norm-referenced evaluation systems are based on a pre-

established formula regarding the percentage or ratio of students within a whole class who will be assigned
each grade or mark. The students, while they may work individually, are actually in competition to achieve
a standard of performance that will classify them into the desired grade range. For example, a faculty may
establish an evaluation policy whereby the top 10 percent of students will receive a mark of excellent or
outstanding, which in a class of 100 enrolled students will be 10 persons.

Criterion-Referenced Evaluation Systems. Criterion-referenced evaluation systems are based on a

fixed numeric scale, usually equated to a letter mark, from which the faculty assign grades based on the
individual performance of each student. The scale does not change regardless of the quality, or lack thereof,
of the students. For example, in a class of 100 students there might be no one or any number of students
who score high enough to achieve a grade of excellent, or who fail.

Criterion-referenced systems are often used in situations where the faculty are agreed as to a standard of
performance but the quality of the students is unknown or uneven; where the work involves student
collaboration or teamwork; and where there is no external driving factor such as needing to systematically
reduce a pool of eligible students.

Alternative Evaluation Systems.

Pass-Fail Systems. Some U.S. faculties, schools, and institutions use pass-fail evaluation systems,
especially when the student work to be evaluated is highly subjective (as in the fine arts and music), there
are no generally accepted standard gradations (as with independent studies), or the critical requirement is
meeting a single satisfactory standard (as in some professional examinations and practice).

Non-Graded Evaluations. A number of U.S. faculties, schools, and institutions do not assign numeric or
letter grades as a matter of policy. This practice is usually based on a belief that grades introduce an
inappropriate and distracting element of competition into the learning process, or that they are not as
meaningful as measures of intellectual growth and development as are carefully crafted faculty evaluations.
Many faculty, schools, and institutions that follow a no-grade policy will, if requested, produce grades or
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convert their student evaluations into formulae acceptable to authorities who require traditional measures
of performance.

Conclusion. Detailed and continuous evaluation and assessment is part of every educational program
and is important in a system that does not rely on framework laws or uniform national examinations as
templates to determine academic program content or student tracking and achievement. The institution
regularly evaluates its actions and achievements in conformity with its mission and goals. The evaluation
results provide a fair and systematic set of information to help in intuitional improvement with emphasis
on academic programs. Evaluation enables an institution to verify with reliable means its achievement in
accomplishing its goals and objectives inside and outside the classroom both in a quantitative and
qualitative manner.