| Distance education is a way to deliver education to | | | | great distances. We have modern technology, and the |
| students who would not otherwise be able to attend a | | | | Internet. Educational materials can be delivered via |
| course. This way of instruction, also called distance | | | | email, broadcast, CD-ROM, podcast, audiotape, online |
| learning, allows remotely located students to learn via | | | | message board, and video conferencing to name just |
| correspondence or other modern technology. For | | | | some of the possible media. |
| students in far-off places, this is a key development. In | | | | There are other uses for instructional technology that |
| 1946 the University of South Africa became one of | | | | have been incorporated into more traditional classroom |
| the oldest universities based on this mode of | | | | settings as well. A teacher in one classroom can |
| instruction. | | | | deliver a lecture to that room and to other classrooms |
| That's not the start of distance education, however. It | | | | as well via videoconferencing. This is referred to as |
| was actually begun well before this. In 1840, Sir Issac | | | | teaching in a virtual classroom. Students can also |
| Pitman, who also invented shorthand, started the idea. | | | | communicate with an instructor and fellow students via |
| He recommended that courses be offered through the | | | | email or even instant message, register online for |
| mail. This was a sufficiently intriguing idea that in the | | | | courses, download video materials, receive syllabi and |
| early 1900s the University of Chicago started the first | | | | other course materials online, and so on. Today, most |
| department for correspondence courses. The idea | | | | of the universities in the United States have at least |
| caught on, and several other universities established | | | | some courses that are offered via distance learning. |
| correspondence departments of their own. | | | | You can find distance learning in the nonprofit and |
| Still, distance education as a major trend in education | | | | for-profit sectors as well. |
| was limited to only a few countries until 1969. This | | | | Because of the technology involved, distance learning |
| changed when, in the UK, the Open University was | | | | classes can be very costly. Still, the possible uses for |
| established. This was so popular and revolutionary that | | | | this technology make it a viable source of instruction |
| several other similar institutions followed. Today, it is | | | | and mean it will likely continue to be used well into the |
| easier than ever to deliver quality instruction across | | | | future. |