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Jan 2, 1430
A Few Quick Notes About this History of Distance Education
Due to software limitations, all dates required a day, month, and year. Because exact day and month information was not always provided in the sources, January 2nd was used as a generic day and month when only year information was provided. Also, not everyone agrees on when certain events took place. All dates stated in this presentation are based on the sources listed. (Photo is an origianl by TheTimeTraveler) -
Jan 2, 1440
Mass Printing Begins
Johannes Gutenberg develops the printing press. "It was the invention of the printing press that really allowed the beginnings of distance delivery" (Anderson & Simpson, 2012). (Photo retreived from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Featherbed_Alley_Printshop_Bermuda.jpg) -
The First Correspondence Course
Caleb Phillips advertises in the Boston Gazette for his correspondence course in shorthand. This is the first record of a distance learning program ("History of Distance Learning", 2016). Caleb was truly a forward thinker. (Photo is an original by TheTimeTraveler) -
The First Postmaster General
Benjamin Franklin was appointed as the first Postmaster General by the Continental Congress ("About United Stated Postal Service: Significant Dates", 2016). "The postal service created an opportunity for a more systematic planned approach to open, flexible, and distance education to develop" (Anderson & Simpson, 2012). (Photo retreived from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Benjamin_Franklin._Coloured_aquatint_by_P._M._Alix,_1790,_af_Wellcome_L0005542.jpg) -
Isacc Pitmann Offers Shorthand by Correspondence
Isaac Pitman is credited as an early pioneer of distance education. In 1840, he began teaching shorthand by correspondence in Bath, England ("History of Distance Learning", 2011). Pioneers are important because they lay the foundation for all who follow. (Photo is an original by TheTimeTraveler) -
1858 – Distance Learning Degrees Available
The University of London was the first university to offer degrees through distance learning under their "External Program" (Sharma, 2015). This event was important because it was the first sign of acceptance at the university level of distance learning. (Photo retreived from http://cdn.morguefile.com/imageData/public/files/d/darnok/preview/fldr_2008_12_01/file00012803809.jpg) -
The Society to Encourage Studies at Home
"In 1873, Anna Eliot Ticknor founded the Society to Encourage Studies at Home. Ticknor's Society established one of America’s first correspondence schools, a distance learning option conducted through the mail. This society was aimed at the education of women" (Caruth & Caruth, 2013). This event was significant for both advancements in the education of women and the use of correspondence education. (Retreived from https://commons.wikimedia.org - direct link too long) -
Distance Education at Illinois Wesleyan University
In 1874, Illinois Wesleyan University became the first American university to offer bachelor and graduate degress in absentia ("History of Distance Learning", 2011). This event set the stage for distance learning in the United States at the university level. (Photo retreived from http://cdn.morguefile.com/imageData/public/files/d/darnok/preview/fldr_2008_12_01/file00012803809.jpg) -
Chautauqua Movement
Around 1882, the Chautauqua movement began pushing correspondence education ("History of Distance Learning", 2011). In many ways, the Chautauqua Movement represented the "marketing" of correspondence education. (Photo retreived from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ChautauquaStamp.jpg) -
First President of University of Chicago
Some consider William Rainey Harper as the founder of university correspondance education. In 1891, he became the first president of the University of Chicago. During his time at the university he developed a Department of Home-Study that became a vital part of the university. Students were allowed to take as much as one-third of their course load by mail" (Caruth & Caruth, 2013). (Photo retreived from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Uchicago_convocation_1894.jpg) -
Distance Program Accreditations
In 1915, the National University Extension Association began accrediting distance education programs at colleges and universities ("History of Distance Learning", 2011). Accreditation brought validity to distance education. (Picture retreived from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lyon_Gardiner_Tyler_in_academic_dress.jpg) -
Educational Radio Era
The first electronic medium used to teach at a distance was the radio. In 1921, the federal government issued the first educational radio license to the Latter Day Saints’ University of Salt Lake City (Saba, 2013). This represented a huge leap forward in how information could be disseminated to students. (Picture retreieved from unknown free use source) -
The National Home Study Council (NHSC) Formed
In 1926, the National Home Study Council (NHSC) was formed, in part, to address problems of quality and ethical practice with correspondence courses ("History of Distance Learning", 2011). (Photo retrevied from unknon free use sourse). -
Televised Learning Goes Mainstream
KUHT was the first public television station in the United States. The University of Houston partnered with KUHT to release the first televised college credit classes. KUHT was one of the earliest member stations of National Educational Television, which was to eventually become PBS (Sharma, 2015). (Photo retreieved from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1950's_television.jpg#file) -
First Automated, Computerized Instruction System Developed
PLATO (Programmed Logic for Automated Teaching Operations) is created at the University of Illinois. It permitted users to interact through a host of networks, assigning lessons, learning independently, and monitoring student progress (Sharma, 2013). This began a paradigm shift towards individualized education using technology. (Photo retreieved from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:PLATO_chem_exp.jpg) -
Douglas Engelbart Proposed Amibitious Research Agenda for the U.S. Air Force
"In 1961, Douglas Engelbart of the Stanford Research Institute proposed an ambitious research agenda for the United States Air Force, illustrating how the development of personal computing, when coupled with inter-connection through computers, could revolutionize the sharing of information to extend man’s intellect" (Flynn, 2013). His ideas laid the foundation for the Internet and the WorldWideWeb. (Photo retreived from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:F3D_launches_AIM-9_1961.jpg) -
R. Buckmister Fuller authors "Educational Automation"
"Fuller's book 'Educational Automation' (1962) envisioned industrial-scale educational systems built via two-way video communication, a concept now realized through the Internet and digital media and, most recently, embodied in MOOCs" (Flynn, 2013). (Photo retreived from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ANASAComputerRoom7090.NARA.jpg) -
Internet Precursors Emerge
The U.S. Department of Defence creates ARPANET. It's development creates many of the systems and principles that will serve as the foundation for the Internet (Sharma, 2013). (Photo retreived from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ARPANET_first_router_2.jpg) -
Desktop Computer Invented
Hewlett Packard releases the HP9810A (HP9830A pictured). Compared to today's computers, this desktop computer is nothing more than an oversized calculator, but its LED display, chips for RAM/ROM/LOGIC and keystroke programming are all precursors elements found in modern computers (Sharma, 2013). (Photo retreived from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HP9830A-HP9866.png) -
First Fully Digital Institution of Learning
In 1976, Coastline Community College becomes the first institution of learning with no classrooms or building. All student learning, correspondence and evaluation occurs digitally (Sharma, 2013). Coastline Community College was on the cutting edge of distance education. (Photo retreved from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Coastline_Community_College_Logo,_May_2013.png) -
The Internet Rises From ARPANET
Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and Internet Protocol (IP) are created. This leads to one of the initial definitions of an "internet" as a connected set of networks, specifically those using TCP/IP, and "Internet" as connected TCP/IP internets (Zakon, 2016). In short, TCP/IP allowed the Internet to come into existence. (Photo retreived from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Zvijezda.png) -
WorldWideWeb Debuts
CERN releases the WorldWideWeb project by Tim Berners-Lee (Zakon, 2016). The world's first web page address is http://info.cern.ch/hypertext/WWW/TheProject.html. According to this website, "The WorldWideWeb is a wide-area hypermedia information retrieval initiative aiming to give universal access to a large universe of documents." The birth of the WorldWideWeb gives birth to modern distance education. (Photo retreived from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:WWW-Symbol_in_blau.jpg) -
Khan Academy Founded
"Because so many people were drawn to this form of education, Khan started the non-profit Khan Academy to house other lectures, all made free to the public. With backing from The Bill Gates Foundation and Google in 2006, Khan Academy now has more than 3,300 video lectures available on subjects that include math, medicine, history, and economics—courses that have been viewed more than 200 million times" (Flynn, 2013).(Photo retreived from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AMi_Vocacion.jpg) -
The Term MOOC was Coined
"The term MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) was originated in 2008 by David Cornier, manager of Web Communications and Innovations at the University of Prince Edward Island, and by senior research fellow Bryan Alexander of the National Institute for Technology in Liberal Education" (Flynn, 2013). MOOCs represent a radical change in higher education. (Photo retreived from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dave_Cormier_at_Skolforum_2012-10-30.JPG) -
Artificial Intelligence MOOC Entrollment Tops 160,000 People
In 2011, Stanford University offered an experimental MOOC in artificial intelligence. It was taught by Sebastian Thrun and Peter Norvig. Enrollment topped 160,000 people from 190 different countries. In the end, a total of 23,000 people completed the classs. (Flynn, 2013). The impact of MOOCs on higher education is yet to be determined; however, higher education will never be the same. (Photo retreived from
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brain_memory.JPG) -
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