The earliest form of distance learning began in 1728. It was a mail order program teaching about shorthand. Correspondence schools began to spring up in the late 1800’s. Over the years other courses and methods of delivery have been developed.
Courses have been televised for students to watch in the comfort of their own home. In the 1950’s students in Houston could watch televised college level courses and complete the classes for credit from their living rooms. Other courses were developed in other areas of the country to be viewed on television. These could be viewed at home on public television or used in school classrooms.
With the development of computers and Internet, online education has changed the world of distance learning. Starting in the 1960’s with PLATO (Programmed Logic for Automated Teaching Operations), the number and types of courses that students can take online has grown. Distance education was no longer one-directional, students could communicate with their instructors and receive feedback. Since this time courses, degrees and schools have been developed for students to complete completely online.
History of virtual learning environments. (2010, June 5). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 17:48, June 6, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=History_of_virtual_learning_environments&oldid=366266702
Great summary.
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