M ost of the time, during the learning/teaching process a distance

learner is physically away from the tutor or institution. The two-way

communication between them is initiated through assignment-
responses. We can claim that the materials are so designed that the student can
interact with the course writer, while reading. What is vitally lacking, however,
is immediate feedback.

While you put your own point of view and hear immediate responses of full or
partial agreement or disagreement, you have the chance to modify and
crystalize your ideas in the ebb and flow of discussion. Such lively discussion
Section include: with your peers is possible only when you meet them at a study centre.

! Sometimes, the counseling session may take the shape of a discussion with the
initiative of the counsellor or one of the learners. If it is so, you must take
"# ## # advantage of the situation and participate fully in the discussion.
$ #
# %% There are several ways in which you can make the best use of such discussions.
# ## # Consider the following:

i) Find out about the topic or theme in advance and read up on it.
ii) Identify questions, issues, or contradictions that you would like to draw
attention to.
iii) Listen carefully to the opinions being expressed and the facts with
which they are backed up; make occasional notes - it helps you
concentrate on the discussion.
iv) Compare the facts with those known to you, and the opinions with your
own. Politely challenge inaccurate or illogical statements.
v) If someone advances an opinion or argument that you don't understand
properly, you can ask the person to present it in a different way so as to
put his/her viewpoint more clearly.
vi) Be prepared to ask questions or offer illustrations.
& ' & (

vii) Put forward your own opinions for discussion. If they are sound, they
will benefit others. If not, they will get out of your system before they
become part of you.
viii) If you know of an opinion or argument that would enrich or enliven the
discussion, but has not yet been raised, put it forward, even if it is not
your own.
ix) Help the group in keeping the topic/theme in mind and avoid straying
too far into side-issues that are of interest only to a minority.
x) Whenever you speak, keep yourself to the point and be as precise as
possible. If your peers want to elaborate, they will certainly ask you.
xi) You should not be afraid of thoughtful silences.
xii) You should also help your peers who have difficulty in getting their
meaning across.
xiii) Make a few notes afterwards to remind you of the main lines of the
discussion and the state of your own opinions at the end of it.

To put it briefly, it is possible to derive benefits from commenting on a

paper/discussion presented by someone else, provided you:

• read and think about the topic

• take an active part in the discussion
• make relevant brief notes of the main points of the discussions

Useful discussions at times spring up in corridors, in the bus and so on. Even
though we may not have formally prepared for such discussions, we find
ourselves participating in them. If you don't carry a pocket notebook with you,
the first thing when you reach home is to note down the important points that
emerged during group discussions.

A group discussion can sometimes lack direction. If that is the case, we

naturally tend to feel that our time is being wasted. To avoid this you should
have a clear purpose or goal. Ideally, the group at its previous meeting should
decide the goal. So that everyone participating in the discussion has an idea of
the topic. An identified group leader can help avoid any tendency to 'drift' from
the mainstream discussion. He or she can keep the group's attention on the
right track. Ideally each one in the group should get an opportunity to lead the
group.

The following checklist should help organise group discussions in a meaningful

way.

)
 + ,%#
Does the group have a clear target?
Is this specific?
Is this manageable?
Has it been circulated in advance?
Do group members carry out preparatory work before this discussion session?
Is it clear who is responsible for helping the group to focus on the target?
Is sufficient time allowed at the end of the session to discussion how well the
group met its target and what target to set for the next time?

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So far we have discussed various ways of effective learning. It is time for you
to pause and take note of what you have learnt. One of the most critical aspects
in the learning process is being evaluated. Almost all of us have the
examination anxiety. In the next section we try to discuss strategies to
overcome examination fear and how to prepare yourself for successful results
in examination.