MBA Correspondence Course

Currently a large number of institutions of higher learning offer programs in MBA Correspondence Courses. The degree – MBA - Master of Business Administration- is especially attractive to working professionals who either don't have the time or the opportunity to attend full-time learning programs.

It is becoming increasingly popular to do the work over the Internet because it is not so tedious, even to regular full-time students. Distance learning is becoming the mode of fashion and is on the rise. The candidates for enrollment are required to possess at least a Bachelor's degree in any of the faculties.

In India, The MBA Correspondence Courses are available in most of the specialized areas. These include Human Resources, Finances, Marketing, Operations, Banking and more.

Multi-tasking in today's world is a must, thus the courses are totally applicable. All areas of management have the same demand: that the student be in the know and flexible. Long distance learning gives the advantage of doing the work at your own pace, while covering all the material and possibly earning your living at the same time. This was virtually impossible under the previous system of full-time attendance at a recognized institution of learning. Apprehension about using this mode of learning is not longer an issue.

The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) is one of the institutions that offer an MBA Correspondence Program. Other fine institutions in India that offer programs of this nature are:

Types of distance education courses

Distance education, or distance learning, is a field of education that focuses on the pedagogy and andragogy, technology, and instructional systems design that aim to deliver education to students who are not physically "on site". Rather than attending courses in person, teachers and students may communicate at times of their own choosing by exchanging printed or electronic media, or through technology that allows them to communicate in real time and through other online ways. Distance education courses that require a physical on-site presence for any reason including the taking of examinations is considered to be a hybrid or blended course of study.

Types of distance education courses

• Correspondence conducted through regular mail
• Internet conducted either synchronously or asynchronously
• Telecourse/Broadcast, in which content is delivered via radio or television
• CD-ROM, in which the student interacts with computer content stored on a CD-ROM
• PocketPC/Mobile Learning where the student accesses course content stored on a mobile device or through a wireless server
• Integrated distance learning, the integration of live, in-group instruction or interaction with a distance learning curriculum

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/webcasting etc. Yet the radio remains a very viable form, especially in the developing nations, because of its reach. Australian children in extremely remote areas have been participating in the "School of the air" since the 1940's using 2 way radio. In India the FM Channel is very popular and is being used by 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. The increasing popularity of mp3 players, PDAs and Smart Phone has provided an additional medium for the distribution of distance education content, and some professors now allow students to listen or even watch video of a course as a Podcast. Some colleges have been working with the U.S. military to distribute entire course content on a PDA to deployed personnel.

Testing and evaluation

Distance education has long had trouble with testing. The delivery of testing materials is fairly straightforward, which makes sure it is available to the student and he or she can read it at their leisure. The problem arises when the student is required to complete assignments and testing. Online courses have had difficulty controlling cheating in quizzes, tests, or examinations because of the lack of teacher control. In a classroom situation a teacher can monitor students and visually uphold a level of integrity consistent with an institution's reputation. However, with distance education the student can be removed from supervision completely. Some schools address integrity issues concerning testing by requiring students to take examinations in a controlled setting.

Assignments have adapted by becoming larger, longer, and more thorough so as to test for knowledge by forcing the student to research the subject and prove they have done the work. Quizzes are a popular form of testing knowledge and many courses go by the honor system regarding cheating. Even if the student is checking questions in the textbook or online, there may be an enforced time limit or the quiz may be worth so little in the overall mark that it becomes inconsequential. Exams and bigger tests may be harder to regulate.

Used in combination with invigilators, a pre-arranged supervisor trusted with overseeing big tests and examinations may be used to increase security. Many Midterms and Final examinations are held at a common location so that professors can supervise directly. When the Internet became a popular medium for distance education many websites were founded offering secure exam software and packages to help professors manage their students more effectively.