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History of Distance Education

By triedwar
  • First Correspondence Course Established in Boston

    First Correspondence Course Established in Boston

    Advertisement appeared in Boston Gazette soliciting students for shorthand lessons. All lessons are sent by mail.
  • Congress Establishes the United States Post Office

    Congress Establishes the United States Post Office

    2nd Continental Congress establishes post office and names Benjamin Franklin Postmaster General. This allowed a greater number of people access to information.
  • Sir Issac Pitman offers Correspondence Courses in Britain

    Sir Issac Pitman offers Correspondence Courses in Britain

    Offered shorthand courses that included instructor feedback.
  • University of London Offers Distance Learning Degrees

    University of London Offers Distance Learning Degrees

    Establishes External Programme. Later Known as University College of London.
  • Chautauqua Correspondence College Founded

    Chautauqua Correspondence College Founded

  • Chautauqua College Authorized to Offer Diplomas and Degrees

    Chautauqua College Authorized to Offer Diplomas and Degrees

    The Chautauqua Correspondence College was
    Authorized by the State of New York as the Chautauqua
    College of Liberal Arts. College to offer collegiate instruction
    by correspondence and authorized to award
    diplomas and degrees.
  • Establishment of the Extension Department at the University of Chicago.

    Establishment of the Extension Department at the University of Chicago.

    Served teachers and aspiring teachers via correspondence study.
  • Pennsylvania State College Offers Courses by Radio

    Pennsylvania State College Offers Courses by Radio

    Lectures given by Tufts faculty.
  • National Home Study Council Formed

    National Home Study Council Formed

    The National Home Study
    Council changed its name to the Distance
    Education and Training Council in 1994.
  • State University of Iowa Becomes the First University to Broadcast Educational Television Programs

    State University of Iowa Becomes the First University to Broadcast Educational Television Programs

  • University of Wisconsin Offers Telephone-Based Education

    University of Wisconsin Offers Telephone-Based Education

    Classes primarily for Physicians.
  • Stanford University Founds Stanford Instructional Television Network

    Stanford University Founds Stanford Instructional Television Network

    Courses offered to engineering students.
  • The Open University Established in the U.K.

    The Open University Established in the U.K.

    A pioneer in distance education universities. Enrolled its first 25,000 students in 1971.
  • U.S. Dept. of Defense sets up ARPANet Netwwok

    U.S. Dept. of Defense sets up ARPANet Netwwok

    Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) set up
    this network to link military, university, and defense
    contractors. Considered to be the precursor to the internet.
  • Electronic University Network Founded

    Electronic University Network Founded

    One of the first examples of education via computer conferencing. Undergrad degrees could be earned independently through courses deliverd on disk or in print. Students interact with instructors by computer, telephone, and mail.
  • Formation of Foundation for International Tele-education.

    Formation of Foundation for International Tele-education.

  • The First Web Browser, Mosaic, Comes Out.

    The First Web Browser, Mosaic, Comes Out.

  • 9% of Adults Access Internet

    9% of Adults Access Internet

    17.5 millions users.
  • Jones Int'l University First Virtual University to be Accredited

    Jones Int'l University First Virtual University to be Accredited

    Accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
  • K-12 Founded

    K-12 Founded

    K12 is an educational management company that provides online education for charter school students from kindergarten through high school.
  • Internet 2

    Internet 2

    Internet 2 is a nongovernmental educational organization working together to develop uses for high-speed networks
    and to build better network technologies. This will link the institutions at speeds 45,000 times faster than the best
    telephone modems previously in use.
  • 66% of American Adults Are Going Online

    66% of American Adults Are Going Online

    137 million users.
  • Khan Academy Created

    Khan Academy Created

    An educational website where content on a variety of subjects is available at no-cost to students of any age or skill.
  • The first MOOC is launched.

    The first MOOC is launched.

    Massively Open Online Courses emerge. Building off a for-credit course at the University of Manitoba, Canada, this was the first class designed behind the acronym of ‘MOOC’ and used many different platforms to engage students with the topic, including Facebook groups, Wiki pages, blogs, forums and other resources.