From Letters to the Metaverse: A Journey Through the History of Distance Education to Digital Ecosystems
By thiagocabral
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Sir Isaac Pitman offers shorthand courses by mail in the UK
Considered the beginning of distance education -
The Society to Encourage Studies at Home is founded in the U.S.
One of the first formal correspondence schools -
Period: to
1920s–1960s – Radio and Educational Television
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Radio used for educational broadcasts in the U.S.
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First educational radio transmissions in Brazil
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Period: to
Expansion of educational TV in countries like the U.S., Canada, France, and Japan
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Founding of the Open University (UK), offering higher education via TV, radio, and mail
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Period: to
1970s–1980s – Video Lessons and Early Computers
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First televised courses in Brazil
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1980s – Use of VHS tapes, CD-ROMs, and early educational software
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Creation of the University of the Air in Japan, a distance university using TV and radio
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Period: to
1990s – The Rise of the Internet and Virtual Platforms
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São Paulo's Virtual University (Univesp) initiative begins
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Launch of Blackboard and Moodle, leading virtual learning environments (VLEs)
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Brazil establishes the Distance Education Secretariat (CAPES)
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Period: to
2000s – Online Learning Becomes Mainstream
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Brazil's Decree 5.622 regulates distance learning in higher education
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Widespread adoption of VLEs in universities and schools
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First MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) appear
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Introduction of gamification and augmented reality in learning
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Period: to
2010s–2020 – AI, Gamification, and Remote Learning
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Rapid growth of MOOCs: Coursera, edX, Udacity
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COVID-19 pandemic triggers a global shift to remote learning via Zoom, Google Meet, etc.
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Period: to
2021–Present – AI, Metaverse, and Digital Learning Ecosystems
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Launch of Metaverse-based educational projects
Meta for Education, Roblox Education -
Rise of AI tools in education
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Integration of digital ecosystems: learning analytics, personalized content, microlearning, VR/AR platforms