assignments in distance learning

ASSIGNMENTS
Assignments play a significant role in organizing teaching-learning experiences. In
distance learning, they serve two major purposes. They function as a method of organizing
teaching-learning experiences and as an evaluation tool. They also serve as a means of
interaction between the academic counsellor and the learners and as a continuous
evaluation mechanism. Assignments are generally questions of various types- long
answer type, short answer type and objective type- which are prepared on the contents
of a course and are given to the students to answer and submit to the university for
evaluation and feedback. Since, this is a compulsory component of the instructional
system in distance education, learners go through the course and assess their own
understanding of the course through feedback on assignment responses. They help the
learners to prepare themselves for the term-end or final examination.

tpes of Assignments
Assignments are of two types: i) Tutor Marked Assignment (TMAs); and ii) Computer
Marked Assignments (CMAs).
i) Wtor Marked Assignments: Tutor Marked Assignments are those assignments
which are assessed and evaluated by academic counsellors. They comprise long
answer type, short answer type and objective type questions.
ii) Computer Marked Assignments: Computer Marked Assignments are those
assignments, which are evaluated by the Computer named Optical Mark Reader
(OMR) and comprise objective1 multiple-choice type questions.

An academic counsellor should help distance learners to prepare good assignments.
Some important points, which helshe should tell the learners to keep in mind while
writing assignment, are: correct information, logical sequence and coherence,
preciseness, clarity of expression, correct use of language, comprehensiveness, legibility,
sticking to word limit, avoidance of copying etc.