Traditional vs. Distance LIS Education of in Iran: a comparative study

Purpose- Because of the population explosion and increase in the number of applicants for higher education as well as the rapid expansion of ICTs, traditional education does not meet the demands of the applicants; as a result, distance education institutes came into existence. The present paper attempts to compare these two educational systems from different aspects in the field of library and information science.
Design/methodology/approach- This research has been conducted in a survey-analytical manner and is of an applied nature. A class sample-taking method was used to collect the required data, and descriptive statistical and analytical methods in addition to SPSS statistical software were used to analyze the data collected.
Findings- the findings of the research show that less than half of the students of Payam-e Noor University are satisfied with their educational methods while 69 per cent of the students of state-run universities are satisfied with the same. 54.5 percent of distance education students show dissatisfaction with the consultation and teaching methods of their professors, 49 percent show dissatisfaction with the performance of educational staff, 37.2 percent with unsuitable educational environment, and 35.9 percent with improper library services and educational sources and textbooks. At state-run universities of Tehran province, however, 59.3 percent of university students expressed dissatisfaction with the consultation and education methods of their professors, and 48.1 percent with the performance of educational staff. Fewer traditional education students stated dissatisfaction with welfare facilities in comparison to those of distance education system. The degree of satisfaction with professors’ teaching abilities was average in both educational systems.
Conclusion- The results show that the degree of satisfaction of traditional education students with their educational methods was more than that of distance education students. Making more use of educational technologies and complementary educational materials as well as better facilities and equipment can be effective in increasing the degree of satisfaction felt by Payam-e Noor university students.