About IDEA

A Brief Review of an IDEA

• The Origin, development and increasing strategic importance of the concept a 'profession' probably constitute the most important change that has occurred in the occupational system of modern societies. Teaching profession is one such profession which played an important role in influencing the society through its research and scholarship and transmitting the learning to others.
• Not going into the details of whether or not 'teaching' is really a profession, and educators as practicing teaching professionals, an attempt has been made here to study the organization and functioning of an Indian professional association of 'Teachers at Distance' or popularly called as Distance Educators. It is none other than Indian Distance Education Association, popularly nick named as IDEA.
• It is a voluntary Association established in the year 1992, strives to be a broad-based professional association/organization, consisting of members of faculty of Distance Education/ Open Universities/ Correspondence Education/ Continuing Education/ Online Education. Institutions and those educationists and researchers interested in the growth and development of Distance Education in India and abroad and all those joined together towards the pursuit of common interests as indicated in the bye-laws of the Association.
• It may be observed that all over India and in the entire world, several kinds of Professional Associations are found and it has been the order of the day that those who work in similar kind of institutions and does similar kind of jobs to come together and form into an Association towards the pursuit of certain common goals.
• Since Distance Education is a newly emerging discipline as well as a profession and is getting popular worldwide by the establishment of a large number of institutions both in the Government sector as well as Private Corporate sector. Recognizing the importance of an Association, those who practice the profession as Distance Educators in India began to join the IDEA.
• Initiated in 1992 at a small place, originated the idea of creating an IDEA - professional association of Distance Educators after a though debate and in depth discussion. It was in its first meeting held in 1993 at Warangal with 30 members drawn from 12 Universities, IDEA took an organizational shape, has later grown into a respectable Professional Association with National and International recognition and affiliations.
• During the last two and half decades, it has attracted many a individuals and organizations and has now on its own capacity became one of the most prestigious Associations. The present note deals with the structure and working of Indian Distance Education Association (IDEA) and narrates its features through a preliminary analysis of its activities and programmes.