Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the Programme Handbook for?
This Programme Handbook describes the Education Management Programme. It has been written to help you understand the Programme, to let you know what NCERD expects of you and to give you some advice. We hope you will find it useful as you start the Programme. The handbook is a valuable tool to help you study successfully. You should keep it handy and refer back to it as time goes on.

You will receive a lot more information on individual topics in greater detail, as you progress through the Programme. For now, this handbook is an initial guide to help you get started.

2. What is distance education?
Distance education means you remain in your school post, doing your normal work, while you follow the Programme. You study in your spare time, using specially written materials which NCERD will provide for you. You will also attend a workshop in your Region once each month, and you will be visited regularly at your own school.

3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of distance education?
Students in a full-time course, at a college or university, are surrounded by an institutional environment (tutors, classrooms, fixed timetables, libraries, college rules, other students and so on). When you study by distance education, your experience will be very different from the student who is studying full-time at college. As a distance education student, you live in the community and continue your normal work and family life, instead of a college environment, a much more open environment surrounds you.

If you consider a student studying in a college environment and compare that with a student studying in a more open, community environment, you will be able to see that each of these two situations has some advantages and some disadvantages.

Consider the advantages and disadvantages you think distance education might have?

Well, we've listed some possible advantages and disadvantages below. How far do you think the advantages and the disadvantages suggested here apply to you?

Possible advantages of distance education

You can study without moving away from your home, village or family
You can keep working during the time that you are studying
You can immediately apply what you are learning to your work
You receive your own set of printed course module booklets to keep. You can keep referring to these throughout your career
The printed modules are written by experienced people
You do not have to worry about being shy or feel nervous if you feel you are older or slower than some of the other students
learning by distance education gives you a feeling of satisfaction, control and achievement.

Possible disadvantages of distance education

It may be difficult to find time or a suitable place to study in your home
Family commitments may make it hard to concentrate on your studies
Family, colleagues and managers may not be understanding about your need for time and peace to study
You can feel isolated and lonely
You may be frustrated or blocked in your study at times because most of the time you will not have a Master Trainer with you to answer your questions
Some people find it harder to learn from reading than from listening to a Master Trainer and discussing with other learners
You have to be very self-disciplined to organise your time and study
You have access to support facilities only some of the time

The benefits of completing this Programme are that you will get an increment on your salary, will get six points towards promotion and in some cases gain academic credit at the University of Guyana.

Can you think of other advantages and disadvantages of distance education?
Later in this handbook, you will get some tips about some of the problems you are likely to experience in organising your studies as a distance education student and how to deal with these problems.

4. Where can I get support for my learning?
If you have read carefully and thoughtfully up to this point, you will probably conclude that studying by distance education is not easy. However, as well as problems and pressure, you will also discover many sources of support in the Community. This support may be practical emotional or academic and professional. All of these will make it easier for you to study successfully.

To have the best chance of success as a distance education student, you should aim to make use of support from many different sources within your community. Some sources of support are within the Distance Education Programme itself. Others are from outside the Programme. Study the diagram below. It shows many different source of support.

What kind of support do you think you can get from each of these sources? Can you think of any other source of support which you could add to the diagram? Can any of the sources of support also be sources of problems?

You will learn more details about the specific supports available from the Distance Education Programme in the rest of this handbook.

Support from the distance education programme

· Growing skills, knowledge and confidence
· National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD)
· Learning Resource Centre (LRC)
· Your Master Trainer
· Course modules
· Programme Handbook
· Fellow students
· Study skills course
· Feedback on Tutor Marked Assignments (TMA's)
· Master Trainer visits

Support from other sources

· My family
· My school
· Pupils
· Parents
· Teachers
· Church, temple, mosque
· Community
· Friends
· Regional Education Office
· Myself
o Past experience
o Professionalism
o Self-confidence
o Determination

5. What will I study on the Programme?
The programme is made up of nine different modules, the Trainee assessment Guide and the Programme Handbook. A list of all of the modules is included in this handbook. You will receive the actual printed modules at the launch of the programme and at the various Master Trainer’s Workshops during the school year. Please note that we also show an average completion time for each unit and module. Depending on your style of learning, you may take longer or shorter than the times listed.

6. How will I study in the Distance Education Programme?
To study in the Distance Education Programme, you will use a combination of several difference methods. The main methods you will use include:

¨ Printed materials. As noted earlier you will receive nine different modules of printed materials. These contain most of the information you need to complete the programme. They also contain activities for you to do as you work through the module, page by page, and feedback to let you assess how you have understood the module.

¨ Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs). Each module has a corresponding assignment. Your Master Trainer will mark your work and give you detailed feedback on it, along with advice on where your assignment was strong, where it was weak and how to improve next time. The tutor -marked assignments will be returned to you at the various Master Trainers' Workshops.

¨ School visits. A Master Trainer will visit you regularly at your school and perform the role of supervisor. You will discuss how you are progressing in the Programme with your Master Trainer and s/he will help you to develop your skills in education management. S/he will also review your weekly reflection sheets and generally see how you’re doing.

¨ Monthly workshops. Once a month, all the Distance Education Programme participants in your area will meet together, along with your Master Trainer. Your Master trainer will have organised a workshop lasting one day. At this workshop, you will participate in various activities and have the opportunity to discuss your progress in the Programme and any problems you are experiencing.

¨ Practicum. There will be a specific project you will be asked to complete to improve the operation of your school. The details of the project and the grading criteria will be given to you at the time of the launch of this programme and are included in the Assessment Booklet.

¨ Portfolio. You will maintain a portfolio of completed assignments, reflections and related documents you collect and develop during the programme. A list of the various items you will be requested to place into your portfolio will also be given to you at the time of the launch of this programme and are included in the Assessment Booklet.

7. What does my Master Trainer do?
It is important to understand that your Master Trainer is not expected to teach you the content of the Programme: to learn by distance education means that you must learn mostly by studying the modules, completing the activities in the modules, completing any Tutor Marked Assignments, completing the Practicum and writing your weekly reflections. Your Master Trainer is there to help you to negotiate your journey through the modules and to give you helpful advice and feedback on your progress.

Lastly, your Master Trainer is there to hear any problems you may be having in following the course, and to try to help you to find a solution to these problems so that you can continue to study effectively. This does not mean that they will solve the problem for you but they will certainly listen and respond sympathetically and knowledgeably. Also, they will always be waiting to discuss the ways in which you may want to try to solve the problem by yourself.

Your Master Trainer is your main link with NCERD. So, if you have questions about the Programme, or if you want to communicate anything to NCERD, your Master Trainer is there to assist you.

8. When will I do all the things, which are involved in this Programme?
A schedule of modules and the main landmarks of your progress through the Distance Education Programme is included in the Assignment Booklet that you will receive shortly. Your Master Trainer will tell you about any changes in dates for monthly meetings or due dates for assignments.

9. Where will I go for the monthly workshops?
You will go to a central regional location to be identified for each region. Your Master Trainer must let you know where this is in good time. This is often the LRC if there is one or a school which is central.

10. What will the Learning Resource Centre (LRC) offer?
Where an LRC is available, we will supply it with relevant reference texts. LRCs could also be used for self-organised programmed study circle meetings.

11. What happens during the supervision visits?
You will have regular visits to your school by your Master Trainer. He / she will be a senior person, perhaps a REDO, DEO, a DES, or a College or University faculty person or Headteacher. S/he will review your portfolio, discuss the record of your weekly reflections, assess your progress, mark your assignments and discuss your Practicum and offer general support for your study in the course.

You may also receive feedback on the assignments submitted to your Master Trainer during some supervision visits. In addition you will have the opportunity to discuss any matters or issues related to your work in the course.

12. How will I get the modules?
Usually, you'll get all your modules at the launching of the programme. However, some modules could be given out later if this is deemed more appropriate.

13. What will I have to pay for the Programme?
The Ministry of Education is covering the cost of the modules. You will receive details about this at the launch of this programme.

Salary. You will continue to work and receive your regular salary during your period as a Learner on the Distance Education Programme.

Textbooks and supplementary materials. You will be encouraged to read textbooks and reference books for some of the modules on the Programme. Some of these textbooks will be available at the LRC. However, you may need to buy some of these books. You will be responsible for paying for these books yourself.

14. What are the Programme Modules like?
Each module will be a little different because it deals with a different subject. You may also notice that the approaches in different modules are varied. The modules have been written by a wide range of experts. This means the programme material is quite varied. We hope that the variety will ensure that your interest will be maintained throughout.

The programme has been completely reviewed, revised and many parts rewritten during 2008. It now fully meets the requirements of the Guyanese educational context.

However, all the modules follow an overall design, so you should find that once you are familiar with one module it is not too difficult to adapt when you move on to the next one in the Programme.

Each module consists of a series of carefully planned units. These are written so that each one builds on the one before it, leading you further in understanding the subject and gaining the skills you need to be an effective education leader.

When you read a module, it is not like reading a textbook from the library. The module was written specially to help you study this particular Programme. So everything in every module has been carefully selected and is important for you.

In many ways, the module acts as your teacher and as your guide. As you work through a module, you will be asked to stop and do Activities. These will help you practice the skills you are reading about and help you learn and check your own understanding. After most of the Activities, you will find feedback comments to help you assess yourself.

You will also find a series of reflections. These are written in negative and are easily distinguishable from the activities. Reflections are not assessed, whereas activities are as part of your overall portfolio. You must complete all activities.

Activities and Comments will be displayed like this and reflections,
in negative, as above.

It's a good idea to cover these comments with a piece of card so you are not tempted to read the commentary before doing the activity.


15. How much time will I have to spend studying?
Most modules have between 20 and 25 hours working and study time. This is the amount of time the course designers think you will need to read the modules, reflect and do the activities. These times do not include the time you’ll spend reading supplementary readings, preparation for and writing of any assignments and attending monthly workshops.

As a rough guide, you should expect to spend about six to eight hours per week to complete one module every two months plus as much extra time as you need and can find for reading the recommended books and working on assignments. Obviously, the more time you spend studying and working on your activities, the more deeply you will come to understand the course content and the more you will develop your management skills. Clearly, these are only a rough guide as everyone has different circumstances, background knowledge, experience and works at different speeds.

For the monthly workshops, you are expected to be present for the entire workshop. This may include Saturday all day, and, at times, part of Sunday.

16. How will I be assessed?
You will be assessed by a combination of methods. These are
¨ Self appraisal from your portfolio
¨ External Appraisal by your Master Trainer who will visit your school
¨ Grades from you ‘end of module’ assignments
¨ Your Portfolio
¨ A grade from your Practicum
¨ Part One (modules 1 - 4) and Part Two (Modules 5 - 9) Examinations

Details on assessment are found in the Trainee Assessment Booklet.

Attendance Although no marks for attendance will be awarded, the monthly workshops are an integral part of the Programme and you are required to attend them. The attendance record of students in the Distance Education Programme will be judged according to the circumstances which apply in each case.

Portfolio. You will use a portfolio (a large 3 ring binder) to document and reflect on your progress during this course. Such documentation will help you conduct a fair sell-assessment. In addition the portfolio will be used to assess your final grade in the course.

17. How can I study most effectively?
Learning in a distance education programme requires special skills and attitudes in order to be successful. You will spend considerable time studying alone, without the help and support from fellow learners, available to students on fulltime programmes in colleges and universities. Also, you will have family commitments, work commitments and all the other distractions of everyday life: all these will make it quite a challenge for you to concentrate on your studies.

Ideally, you should try to find a quiet place and time to study. But you may well have a study environment which is not ideal - for example, perhaps you do not have electricity, or you have to study in a busy family room where the children are eating and others in the family are talking or watching television at the same time. This will make it more difficult for you to concentrate.

To overcome these problems and to be a successful student, you will need to organise yourself very efficiently. You will need to develop efficient and effective study skills and re-organise your life in such a way as to include a regular routine of putting other things aside for an hour or two a day and concentrate on your studies.

You should refer to the section on Study Skills below. You can also seek advice from your Master Trainer on what kind of study skills you personally need to develop. They understand the difficulties you may face as a distance learner and it is part of their role to support you in suggesting ways in which you can develop and maintain appropriate study skills.

Studies have shown that successful students are the ones who develop a good range of strategies for organising themselves. The main strategies of organisation follow:

· effective time management
· creation of a good study environment
· development of concentration skills
· efficient text-reading skills and note-taking skills

1. Effective time management - Prioritise your activities: you cannot do everything in life - you will have to sacrifice some time at certain things so that you keep enough time free for your studies. For example, you may have to reduce the amount of time you give to community activities or socialising.

2. Be organised and plan ahead. If you are disorganised, you will waste a lot of time and you will give yourself a lot of stress.

3. Make a wall calendar (or buy one). Mark out all the modules. For the next two to three months, plot out the unit you must study each week, the dates when you will be preparing any assignments, when you will hand the assignments in, when you'll go to workshops and so on. Try to put this calendar somewhere where you can look at it easily from the table where you study. Check your progress daily and adjust your plans if you are falling behind; try always to catch up so you get through each module on schedule.

4. Develop an individual schedule which you keep in your file and can carry around with you. This too will show activities such as handing in assignments, meeting your Master Trainer, travelling to the monthly workshops or completing the reading of each module / unit. You can discuss this schedule with your Master Trainer and adjust it progressively to meet the needs and possibilities of the moment. You can also use this schedule to assess yourself and to set personal targets.

5. Don't put off studying. In particular, don't put off starting to think about and make notes on any assignments. If you read and plan your assignments early, you will find the task less onerous and much more satisfying. Start them early and work on them gradually over a period of time. Good work is never done in a rush at the last minute.

6. Creating a good study environment. Keep your notes neat and in order. Label them clearly, so you can see exactly which module / unit the notes refer to, when you come back to look at them some time later. If you have to spend a lot of time looking for your notes because they are all mixed up, you will not be using your precious time effectively.

7. Try to make a clear space in the house where you remove all distractions and can keep your modules, pens, paper and other things you need to study. If possible, find a quiet place or a place where other people will not come and speak to you. In a family environment, you will probably need to explain to your family that you need some peace to study and ask them not to speak to you unless it's really important, at the time when you are studying. Of course, the easiest way of achieving this is to study at a time of day when other people are asleep or when they are not at home.

8. Try to avoid using the study place for other kinds of activity, such as eating, drinking, watching television or sleeping. When you sit down to study, you want to concentrate on that alone.

9. Developing concentration skills. Sometimes, you may find it very difficult to concentrate on studying. You may find you are distracted by daydreaming, feeling sleepy, worrying about your studying or other personal problems. Try to cut these things out of your mind when you are studying. If you find yourself just sitting for a long time but not actually concentrating on studying, then stop studying and take a break. Do something very different for a little time and then try to settle down again to study.

10. Go for a walk or doing some other kind of physical exercise for about fifteen minutes or half and hour, such as physical sport, digging or doing energetic housework, helps you to relax and feel more settled than just sitting around.

Most people have to learn how to learn. This may surprise you! If you are worried because you find it difficult to study, don't worry - you are perfectly normal! Especially if you have not been used to studying or haven't read a lot for some years - you will need to practise. Start with small goals which you can achieve. Soon, you will find you can.


Think about doing all these things. As a committed participant, I will

· read and study all the modules deeply
· read as much of the recommended reading as I can, and think about what I read
· do all the activities and assignments to the best of my ability
· think about the feedback my Master Trainer gives me on any assignments and go back over parts of the course again as a result
· discuss my ideas with fellow learners
· actively prepare for the supervision visit by maintaining my portfolio
· discuss issues and applications with my Master Trainer
· keep to all my commitments in my school
· continue to fulfill my social obligations

On reflection, do you still think you should be able to go through the Programme more quickly, or have you changed your mind at all?

20. How can the design of the module help me learn?
The printed modules are designed specifically to make it as easy as possible for you to learn by yourself. Flip through one of the modules. You'll see an introduction and several units. Spend a few minutes to read the introduction in the modules; it's the same in each module. One section in the module introduction describes how modules and units are organised. For example, each module unit has an introduction, an indication of study time, learning outcomes, activities, reflections, comments and a summary.

One advantage of the modular structure is size. Each module is a convenient size to handle. It is not too heavy or too thick to carry around. You can take one with you to fill in short blocks of time, for example, a half-hour you might have while sitting on the bus.

You should also see that many of the modules are very practical. Where possible, the modules try to link what you are studying directly to your practical school management experience.

21. Plagiarism
At times, you may be tempted to copy material directly from others or from books and treat it as though it is your own work. This is not helpful to your personal learning and development. Your grades will be dependent upon the way in which you apply your newly acquired knowledge and insights to education management at your school. Plagiarism will be treated as such and discarded without marks.

22. How should I prepare for my assignments?
Each individual assignment and activity contains notes for guidance on preparing that particular assignment or activity. Additionally, the following general guidelines or principles apply to all the assignments.

Plan your personal timetable to include the process of preparing your assignment. Answer gradually, alongside your other studying and work. The process may include various stages. According to the particular assignment, these stages may be:

· Read all assignments carefully and make sure that you understand clearly what is being requested
· Collect the information you need and make notes on it (from the modules, from discussion with colleagues, etc)
· Select and organise your points into a structured answer
· Write a first draft; review it and write a revised draft
· Check your final copy for mistakes; and
· Hand in your finished assignment.
· Don't delay. Start your assignment early allowing yourself plenty of time to complete the process of preparing and completing your assignment.
· Stick to the "hand-in" schedule. Even if you run out of time preparing your assignment, and this means your assignment is not quite as good as you would like it to be. Always do your best in the time available and give your work to your Master Trainer by the deadline date if at all possible.

It is important to note that Master Trainers really need to mark all assignments in one go in order to ensure consistency of grades. If you are not able to hand in your work on time, this makes it more difficult for them and will inevitably mean a delay in the work being returned to all. In addition, when work is returned to some candidates, it could give others an advantage.

Don't spend so much time on your assignment that you ignore your other studies and work. These assignments are not an excuse for ignoring the content modules or attending the monthly workshops! They are meant to help you study, not stop you from studying.

25. Who is responsible for running the Distance Education Programme?
The Distance Education Programme is run by the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD). The Administrator in NCERD, who reports to the Director of NCERD, is responsible for all organisational aspects of the programme.

26. What can I do if something goes wrong? Welfare, grievances, discipline, complaints and general problems

The welfare of all participants is the responsibility of NCERD. The centre will take all necessary steps to ensure effective delivery of this course. It also has the responsibility for receiving and processing all grievances and complaints.

27. What kinds of records will the Programme keep about me?
The Programme will keep various detailed records about you. These records will give the NCERD accurate information on your progress and achievement as you move through each part of the Programme. The kinds of records that will be kept about you are:

¨ academic and professional records: These include grades scored in assignments, tests and examinations; and records of school supervision visits by your Master Trainer.
¨ attendance records: Records will be kept of your attendance at the monthly workshops.
¨ administrative records: Records will be kept of the modules and other materials which have been issued to you by the Programme.
¨ registration records: You must register at the start of the Programme on the Registration Form.
¨ personal records: Any personal information the Programme will keep about you is essentially the initial data you provided when you applied and then enrolled on the Programme. This contains information such as your educational background, family status, address and any special needs or disabilities you may have indicated. This information will be updated from time to time, to include any changes which come along.

These records are important and we keep them in order to:-

¨ give NCERD a basis on which to assess you and award you a certificate;
¨ help your Master Trainer and the Centre see how you are progressing and if you are having difficulties, so they can quickly know where you need help. This is particularly important in case your Master Trainer changes during the Programme, so that your new one has this information.
¨ help the Ministry of Education to evaluate the Distance Education Programme and the course modules. This will enable changes to be made to improve the Programme where necessary to ensure that you are treated fairly with regard to receiving services and materials, and that you fulfill the requirements of NCERD by participating fully in the Programme.

28. How will NCERD keep track of my examination results and assure anonymity with the markers?
When you write your examinations in the region where you are studying, you will be given a unique identification number which will consist of your regional number plus a personal number e.g. 01/004. This will be allocated by the regional Master Trainers. You will not write your name or any other identifier on the paper and the markers will not have access to the names. In this way your paper will be anonymous to the markers.

29. How can I communicate with the persons responsible for this Programme?

Monthly Workshops: You will meet the Master Trainers of this Programme at the monthly workshops. It is possible that, at times, several Master Trainers will be present at a respective workshop.

Calling by telephone: We also suggest you make use of the telephone to keep in touch with your Master Trainer if this is possible in your situation. You should discuss with him / her whether there is a regular time each week when s/he may be available by telephone. However, please note that you are personally responsible for paying for any telephone calls you make. You should particularly communicate with the Master Trainer at the earliest possible opportunity:

¨ if you will not be available for the Master Trainer's scheduled school supervision visit;
¨ if you cannot attend the corning monthly workshop, or
¨ if you have any major difficulty or problem in continuing to follow the Programme.

30. Can I communicate directly with NCERD?
Yes, although usually it is better to communicate with your Master Trainer. If you want him / her to pass any message on to NCERD, s/he will do so. However, if you wish to communicate directly with NCERD, rather than through the Master Trainer you may do so, through the Administrator at NCERD. She will be sure to transmit the message to the Director or to the appropriate person at NCERD.

So, now you have learned quite a lot about the Distance Education Programme. This information will help you to get started with your distance learning. Please feel free to ask your Master Trainer if you are not sure about anything which we have talked about in this handbook or whenever you have anything you want to discuss during your time on the Distance Education Programme.

Remember: this is your handbook. We wish you well in your studies with NCERD on our Distance Education Programme and we hope you will find the Programme stimulating, enriching and above all useful in your teaching.

Good luck!