Important Dates in the History of Online Education

By tkjohnson

  • The Pressey Testing Machine

    The Pressey Testing Machine was developed by Sidney Pressey which later led to the develop of Questionmark Perception which allows teachers and trainers to create, schedule, deliver and report on surveys, quizzes, tests, and exams. It made the assessment process easier and improved quality of questions.

  • B. F. Skinner develops Skinner's Programmed Instruction

    Information is presented in small amounts. There is no multiple choice, and students had to write out their answers.

  • University of Houston offered first televised college credit class on public television.

  • PLATO- the first internet-based community

    This was created by Daniel Alpert and Don Bitzer and was crated for the purpose of learning.

  • University of Chicago produces first Sunrise Semester through broadcast television.

  • Project Xanadu by Ted Nelson

    This is the first attempt known for implementing a hypertext system.

  • First computer installed for instruction

    Orange Coast College in California uses computers for instruction.

  • Douglas Engelbart invents the computer mouse.

  • IBM introduces an online interactive system.

    The system is called COURSEWRITER for IBM 1500. It features course management features and intercommunication between student and teacher.

  • First CAI application is written for University of Alberta.

    This program consisted of an arithmetic drill program that adjusts the level of difficulty to the level of success of the student.

  • Introduction of the first Personal Computer (PC)

    Atair 880 was introduced as the first PC. Then Apple II and the IBM PC soon follwed. These computers were not just for the corporate world. They were for everyday people to use. They were used to make tasks easier to perform. Teachers began creating programs for learning such as practice and drill programs.

  • Microsoft Powerpoint emerges as a useful tool for teaching and learning.

  • University of Phoenix

    It became the first institution to fully offer an online college program for a bachelor's and master's degree.

  • Learning Management Systems began to be used.

    Universities started to design and develop their own systems such as SABA, Docent, and Blackboard. Blackboard evolved to exchange learning materials, make tests, intercommunicate in different ways, track progress, fand acilitate learning. There was not steep learning curve. It was easier for teachers to use.

  • Web 1.0

    Users could only view webpages but could not engage or contribute to them. This technology was mainly for presentation not creation.

  • WeBWork was created by Arnold Pizer and Michael Gage.

    This system allowed for the delivery of homework problems over the web.

  • Google was founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin

  • e-Learning emerged.

    This was a new way to learn based on the use of new technologies with access to online, interactive, and personalized training through the internet and other electronic media.

  • The Flipped Classroom trend emerged.

  • Hiltz and Turoff (2005) state that "by 2004 at least two million higher-ed students in the United States were engaged in distance education.

  • Web 2.0 popularized.

    This term was created by Darcy DiNucci but made popluar by Tim O'Reily. Web 2.0 allows users to interact and colloborate with each other through social media.Examples of Web 2.0 are blogs, wikis, video sharing sites, and Web applications.

  • Virtual Scenarios

    A school in London was the first to use virtual scenarios for the training of paramedic students.

  • Federal Funding for Online Education

    President Obama pledged $500 million in federal funds for the creation of new online courses and material.

  • Internet Access at Home

    The U.S. Department of Commerce reported more than 68% of households had internet access. 77% of households had a computer (iNACOL 2013).

  • The Apple iPad

    The Apple iPad had the ability to bring technologies together for learning and learning could happen anywhere.

  • John Drew (2012) predicts that higher education will continue to evolve and change.

    Education will change due to the economy and technology. He goes on to say that the change will not be "uniform, but will come to different parts of the higher education enterprise in different ways" (p.12).

  • More institutions offer online courses.

    "Over 62.4% institutions offer complete online programs which is an increase from 34.5 in 2002" (Allen & Seaman 2013, p.20).