Printed Materials
Developing, printing, and disseminating textbooks for an distance education institution is a challenging task that requires many talented and experienced experts and a strong technical infrastructure. The most crucial step in designing a textbook is analyzing the target population and the needs of that group, before starting to write the content. Textbooks are effective and efficient means that provide students with sound information using various visual means (e.g. color, form, graphics or photography) in individual learning. Since 1982, in the Anadolu University Distance Education System, textbooks – the core instructional medium – have been developed through a well-designed and precise process in a way that helps students to work on their own. Teams that design and develop textbooks at Anadolu University are composed of experienced content experts, editors, instructional designers, TV editors, art directors, language experts, and measurement and evaluation experts. During the first 20 years, textbooks have been developed following commonly accepted traditional methods and techniques; however, in 1999 the system has been restructured with a new instructional design team. Since then, all the books in both associate and bachelor’s degree programs have been revised. Textbooks are designed with advanced educational technologies in such a way that students can learn by themselves. They are in accord with the Internet and TV programs. There are over 281 different books written for the Distance Education System courses, which are printed at the University. Each year, approximately 5 million books are sent to students. For preparing the books, 605 academicians who are specialists in their fields are assigned as authors and 162 academicians as editors.
Radio and TV Programs
A team of experts in educational technology and technical staff with the help of technologically advanced equipment play an important role in the production of radio and TV programs which supplement the textbooks. There is a collaborative work to produce the radio and TV programs. The program coordinators, editors, screen writers and directors work together to create the scenario, produce and deliver programs which would best help students in learning.
Over the past two decades, approximately 5200 TV programs have been produced for the distance education programs. For the TV programs 508 academicians have been assigned. TV programs are broadcast 24 weeks per year, 37 hours per week, a total of 888 hours per year. Each program is broadcast at least twice a year.
The radio programs are broadcast on TRT Radio 1. The number of radio programs produced has reached 400.
Live Programs
Since 1999, to help students prepare for the upcoming exams, exam-preparation programs are broadcast. Before midterm and final examinations, TRT 4 broadcasts taped programs for one week and live programs for one week. In the live programs students can call an 800 number (which is free) to ask questions. Thus Anadolu University is the first institution to offer an interactive education system via TV in Turkey.News from Our University
To establish a way of communication between our students in distance learning programs and the university, notifying students about the happenings on the campus, enabling students to get to know their university and program better, a program called ‘News from our university’ has been broadcast since 1998. It is a 10-minute program broadcast every other week throughout the academic year.
Videoconferences
Videoconference is the component of distance education of Anadolu University. Anadolu University by collaborating with other universities delivers videoconferences via terrestrial lines and satellite. In 1999, the students in the Economics Department of Ahmet Yesevi International Turk-Kazak University in Kazakhstan took the marketing course from Anadolu University via videoconferencing system. Today, the students in NCTR take 22-hours of academic counseling from over 20 academic advisors for 16 different courses in a week via videoconferences. In 2005, videoconferences with the Open University of UK, CNED of France and NIME of Japan have been organized as first steps of collaboration. Also, in cooperation with the Turkish Telecom, academic counseling via videoconferencing has been initialized, in the academic year 2005-2006, for students in Siirt, Turkey. Also, during 2007, videoconferences with Germany (Cologne), Ankara and İstanbul (Aksaray) have been carried on.
The academic counseling service is one of the most important elements of the distance education system in Anadolu University. In this system, distance students have chances to collaborate with other students and professors face-to-face to learn more deeply. The main purpose of this service is to meet professors and students from all over Turkey, and to promote interaction with a view to ensure more effective learning. 861 academic personnel in 74 different centers provide academic counseling services for 10 courses in evenings and weekends.
E-learning Services
Electronic learning services (e-learning) lets students study anywhere and anytime. Students are provided with the opportunity to make use of the system all day long free of charge. E-learning services consist of e-books, e-television, e-exams, e-drill and practices and e-audio books.
Audio-Books
This service was launched in 2004 targeting not only visually impaired but all students. 24 books have been developed for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th year students. Vocalizations are performed by professional artists in a radiophonic way. In addition, sound effects are utilized to enrich the learning experience. Books are provided in CD and MP3 formats, and are available on the e-learning portal.
Interactive Courses to Distant Classes
In 2003, a virtual classroom for the undergraduate program in English Language Teaching has been launched as an interactive environment. An interactive learning experience takes place between the instructor and student in this practice.