The Attitudes of the Academic Supervisors at Al-Quds Open University toward the Nature of the Training and its Prospects in the Light of Distance Learning

The study aims at investigating the instructors' attitudes at Al-quds Open University towards the nature and the prospects of the training system in the light of distance learning. It also aims to find out whether statistical significant differences can be found with regard to nature and prospects that may be attributed to gender, qualification, academic program, years of experience, and the instructor's position in the university. The Population of the study consisted of all instructors of Ramallah & Al-bireh academic region in the second semester of the academic year of 2008-2009. The total number of the instructors was 185. Questionnaires were distributed to the target group. The researchers received 172 questionnaires out of 185 with a percentage of 93%. SPSS package was used for statistical analysis using descriptive & analytic statistics (Means, Standard Deviations, Percentages, T-test, One-way Analysis of Variance and reliability equation (Chronbach Alpha). The results show that the instructors' attitudes at Al-quds Open University towards the nature and the prospects of the training system in the light of distance learning were positive in all fields. The average of all Means was 3.82 with a percentage of 76.41; and this can be considered high.
Results were as follows: There were no statistically significant differences with regard to nature and prospects of training during service that can be attributed to gender.
1- There were no statistically significant differences with regard to nature of training during service that can be attributed to academic qualification. Nevertheless, There were statistically significant differences with regard to prospects of training during service that can be attributed to (MA) holders.
2- There were statistically significant differences with regard to nature and prospects of training during service that can be attributed to instructors for the favor of part time lecturers. 3- There were statistically significant differences with regard to nature of training during service that can be attributed to number of years in service for the favor of those who have experience from 5 to 10 years.
4- There were no statistically significant differences with regard to prospects of training during service that can be attributed to number of years in service.
5- There were no statistically significant differences with regard to nature of training during service that can be attributed to the major academic program in which the lecturer teaches.
6- There were no statistically significant differences with regard to prospects of training during service that can be attributed to the major academic program in which the lecturer teaches. In the light of the aforementioned results, the researchers recommended the following:
1- Conducting evaluative studies for the training activities to compare them with instructors' estimations to the nature of training in the University.
2- University should encourage instructors to be engaged in training activities outside the university. It should also encourage the scientific visits of instructors among Palestinian universities.