Impact of Mass Media-Based Educational Communication on Learner Engagement and Academic Achievement in Distance Education: A Study of IGNOU Learners.
Main Article Content
Abstract
Mass media have emerged as an important component of contemporary distance education by facilitating the dissemination of educational content beyond conventional classroom boundaries. The present study examines the role of mass media-based educational communication in promoting learner engagement and academic achievement among learners of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), New Delhi. The study was conducted on a sample of 300 distance education learners. A descriptive survey method was employed, and data were organised through frequency and percentage analysis. Two major dimensions were examined: the level of learners' exposure to mass media-based educational communication and the level of learner engagement and academic achievement. The findings indicate that a substantial proportion of learners reported a high level of exposure to educational communication through television, radio, video lectures, digital educational programmes, and online media. The distribution of learner engagement also indicates a predominance of the high category. The findings suggest that mass media-based educational communication provides learners with flexible access to instructional resources and can facilitate continuity, reinforcement, and participation in distance learning. The study concludes that systematic and learner-centred utilisation of mass media can strengthen the communicative environment of distance education and support learners' academic participation and achievement.
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