Online learning

The Timely Growth of Online Learning

By MarilynS

  • First Distance Learning

    First Distance Learning
    Caleb Phillips advertises shorthand course in Boston Gazette to be taught through postal service.
  • Period: to

    Evolution of Online Education

  • “Composition Through the Medium of the Post”

    “Composition Through the Medium of the Post”
    Lund, Sweden: postal-based writing classes

  • First Graded Correspondence Course

    First Graded Correspondence Course
    Bath, England: Sir Issac Pitman offers mail-based shorthand classes with returned, graded work

  • England's Uniform Penny Post

    England's Uniform Penny Post
    England: Penny postal rates permit ease of mail; popularity of distance learning grows

  • First Distance Learning Degrees

    First Distance Learning Degrees
    Univ. of London: Queen Victoria chartered the External Programme which offered degrees earned through distance learning

  • First US Correspondence School

    First US Correspondence School
    Boston: "Society to Encourage Studies at Home" was founded by Anna Eliot Ticknor

  • First US Univ Offers Distance Learning Degrees

    First US Univ Offers Distance Learning Degrees
    Illinois Wesleyan University provides bachelor and graduate degrees 'in absentia' through postal service. Offered to mature students, 24 yo+

  • First Use of Term 'Distance Learning'

    First Use of Term 'Distance Learning'
    University of Wisconsin-Madison created pamphlet to advertise their distance learning programs.

  • First Distance Learning Audio Lectures

    First Distance Learning Audio Lectures
    University Wisconsin records and mails lectures to students in phonograph form.

  • First Course Broadcast on Radio

    First Course Broadcast on Radio
    Pennsylvania State College offered first radio course. In mid-late1920s, almost 200 US radio stations offered distance education.

  • First US Television Course

    First US Television Course
    University of Iowa's fledgling TV channel, W9XK, broadcasts educational courses twice weekly.

  • First Series of TV College Credit Courses

    First Series of TV College Credit Courses
    Cleveland, Ohio: Western Reserve University becomes first US university to offer a series of courses for credit, combining TV broadcasts with home study.

  • PLATO Arrives

    PLATO Arrives
    University of Illinois: PLATO (Programmed Logic for Automatic Teaching Operations) was the first computer-assisted learning system. PLATO was visionary, offering an interactive teaching machine with educational courseware. Thousands of machines were set up in learning stations around the world. Beginning of social networking.

  • Phone-Based Learning

    Phone-Based Learning
    University of Wisconsin offers telephone based program for physicians.

  • Internet is Introduced

    Internet is Introduced
    UCLA releases a statement, introducing the public to the Internet. Communication is now easily exchanged electronically, opening educational opportunities online.

  • Open University (OU)

    Open University (OU)
    United Kingdom: The Open University (OU) provides television-based courses broadcast by the BBC. Appeals to variety of students, including many in prison. First courses for credit offered in humanities, science, social sciences, and mathematics.

  • Satellites Aid Distance Learning

    Satellites Aid Distance Learning
    UNESCO creates PEACENET, a peace-building organization, in the Pacific Basin to provide first-ever satellite delivered learning programs. PEACENET's goal was to provide quality distance education to developing countries.

  • First Personal Computer

    First Personal Computer
    Ed Roberts invents first microcomputer and coins the term 'personal computer'. Educators recognize the potential for in-home learning.

  • Let's Play and Learn

    Let's Play and Learn
    Apple II introduces first educational computer game, Lemonade Stand. Integrates learning with fun in virtual environment.

  • IBM Takes the Lead

    IBM Takes the Lead
    The IBM Personal Computer, known as the IBM PC, is introduced. IBM becomes trailblazer in educational games.

  • World Wide Web

    World Wide Web
    Computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee invents the World Wide Web (WWW), an Internet-based information system. Learners are now able to share and gather info remotely through hyperlinks

  • BlackBoard

    BlackBoard
    New educational tools become popular, providing platforms that allow easy exchange of ideas and feedback for higher education.

  • Moodle in the Classroom

    Moodle in the Classroom
    Moodle is released as a free Open Source software package; empowers educators to create effective private and collaborative online learning curricula. By 2015, translated into over120 languages.

  • You Can with Khan

    You Can with Khan
    Khan Academy introduced as a non-profit organization that provides quality, expert-level education online to anyone globally.

  • Explosion of Online Learning

    Explosion of Online Learning
    Number of students learning online soars to 5.5 million.

  • YouTube Launched

    YouTube Launched
    YouTube offers free instructional lectures and the ability to personally upload multi-media videos which can be shared online.

  • Year of the MOOC

    Year of the MOOC
    Introduced in 2006, MOOCs, or Massive Open Online Courses, are free online non-credit courses as part of open educational resources. They allow unlimited participation to anyone. NYT named 2012 was the Year of the MOOC due to their increased popularity.

  • Military troops benefit from e-learning

    Military troops benefit from e-learning
    Distance learning courses from accredited universities gain popularity with active troops abroad, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan. Courses are often free to military veterans or active troops.