“Framework of a Technology Based Distance Education University in Bangladesh”

Innovations in the sector of information technology has lead educators, scientists, researchers and technocrats to work together for betterment of the communities through effective utilization of available benefits out of it. By far, the learners and educators are among the best beneficiaries at the frontiers of adoptive technologies. Education is no longer a time-bound, scheduled-bound or domain-bound learning process. A learner can learn at prolonged pace of period with enough flexibility in the learning processes and at the same time an educator can provide the services to the learners through much more flexible media, open to multiple choices.

Using diversified media (local area network, wide area network, fiber optics backbone, ISDN, T1, radio link and conventional telephone link) education has been able to reach the remotely located learners at faster speed and lesser effort. Educators can disseminate information through a common backbone to mass learners with potential resource materials at cheaper cost and endeavor.

Bangladesh being a country of more than 120 million population, has all along been deprived of primary resources of life. Education, though has the highest budget allocation from the government, but could not reach the grass root level of the communities. 38% literacy rate has been achieved in three decades with more than 70% rural female student drop outs. This sector needs much intensive thrust to boost up the literacy rate, especially among the rural youths. More formal and non-formal education related programmes has to be carried out through multi-farious institutes, organizations, academic platforms. Distance education is one of the best effective means of propagation through effective information technology media.

The lone distance educator in the country, the Bangladesh Open University (BOU) has been carried out its mission since its establishment in 1992 and at present it has nearly 200,000 students. Compared to its number, it is a mega university, but, compared to the population outreach BOU can not all alone perform the enormous task of educating this huge population, where more than 80% are residing in rural areas. Also, it would be difficult to eradicate illiteracy by 2006 through existing means and media of education system in the country.

There needs a country wide information backbone and a completely technology based university with outlets at each district town. This down trend can expand in phases, by division (6), by greater districts (19), and then by districts (64). The university can be located at any place in the rural area, so that land and establishment cost can be kept at minimum. A robust high speed information back bone need to be carried out to the main campus of the university.

Establishment of a technology based university seems to be a dream for the time being, but adopting existing technologies available country wide with accessible infrastructures, it would a matter of time to fulfill the mission of establishing an Internet / Intranet based collaborative learning system in Bangladesh.

Keywords: ISDN, T1, BOU, collaborative learning system.