United States England

Beginning of distance learning 1873- Anna Eliot Ticknor founds

Society to Encourage Studies at
Home.
1840- Isaac Pittman offers
shorthand instruction through
correspondence
Developed for Early correspondence schools in both countries were not associated
with institutions but were designed to serve rural communities. This
increased access to education. The flexibility also allowed students
to study at convenient times for them instead of a scheduled time
by an institution. However these courses lacked academic credibility
and access to institution educational resources.
The early correspondence
classes were to fulfill
requirements of liberal arts
degrees for rural populations.
The early distance education
correspondence classes were to
fulfil a social employment need.


Development of
correspondence institutions
1883- correspondence degrees
offered through Chautauqua
College of Liberal Arts (New
York)
1892- University Extension
Department established at
University of Chicago.
1878- Skerrys College in
Edinburg
1887- University
Correspondence School- London
Integration into secondary
education
In the 1920s vocational courses
and correspondence courses
began to be offered for students
enrolled in high schools. The first
high school was in Benton
Harbor, MI. The University of
Nebraska was an early pioneer in
the correspondence courses for
high school students
English school system was set up
to generally be for boys of upper
class citizens and was generally
preparatory in nature in either
preparing boys for trade or
future university studies.
Distance classes from
institutions were not offered at
this same time for the general
populace of comparable age.
Integration of television In the 1930s television
educational programming was
introduced by University of Iowa,
Purdue and Kansas State. The
courses would start being
offered for credit in the 1950s

Satellite delivery The 1970s would bring in
satellite delivery of instruction in
the United States.
Leaders emerging in online
education include British Open
University (begin enrolling in
1971) which developed a
distinction from traditional
classrooms and played a major
role in the development and
research of distance education.
Fiber-optic and Internet Iowa builds statewide fiber optic
network for educational
connections in the early 1980s.
Leaders emerge in online
education include American
Open University and University
of Phoenix
The model was followed in
developing the American Open
University
Reaching the masses In the 1970s a greater focus was on making education more
accessible to a population that included students who could not
attend regular campus classes because of employment and family
restrictions, handicaps and geographical isolation that made
traditional classroom attendance extremely difficult if not
impossible.
Some degree mills popped up during the early stages but most
online programs are now accredited such that students traversing
the offerings are working towards a degree that is applicable and
accepted in society.
The advances in technology have made distance education more
accessible and interactive for students. The technology advances
have also made it possible for accredited institutions to serve a
larger student population who might not have been able to attend a
traditional campus course. These increases in technology have also
removed country border restrictions, opening up education for a
worldwide audience.