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The First Correspondence Course
Caleb Philipps offered shorthand lessons through mailed assignments, marking the start of distance learning. -
Sir Isaac Pitman's Shorthand Instruction
Sir Isaac Pitman began a correspondence course in England, teaching shorthand by mailing transcriptions on postcards and receiving student work for feedback. -
University of London External Programme
The University of London launched its External Programme, offering remote degree opportunities. -
Society to Encourage Studies at Home
The first correspondence school in the U.S. provided women with educational opportunities through mail-based courses. -
University of Wisconsin's Distance Education
The University of Wisconsin formally adopted the term "distance education" and began offering correspondence courses. -
Radio-Based Courses
Educational courses were broadcast over the radio, expanding access to learning resources. -
Recordings for the Blind / Learning Ally
The organization Recordings for the Blind (later renamed Learning Ally) began producing audio recordings of textbooks to support visually impaired students. This marked a significant advancement in making education accessible to all. -
University of Houston's Televised Courses
The University of Houston offered the first college courses via public television, pioneering telecourses. -
National Educational Television (NET)
NET was established as a precursor to PBS, producing and distributing educational programs to public television stations across the United States, marking a significant step in the use of television for distance learning. -
Sunrise Semester
"Sunrise Semester," an educational television series in collaboration with New York University, aired on WCBS-TV, providing college-level courses. Distributed on CBS affiliates until October 1982. -
1962: National Instructional Television Library
This organization, later becoming the Agency for Instructional Technology, produced and distributed educational television programs. -
Open University (UK)
The Open University was established in the United Kingdom, offering flexible distance learning opportunities for adult learners through a combination of correspondence, broadcast television, and in-person tutorials. -
Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)
PBS replaced NET as the primary distributor of educational television in the U.S. It played a major role in delivering telecourses making educational content accessible to millions. -
Advent of Cable Television
Cable channels like The Learning Channel (TLC) and Discovery Channel began offering educational programming aimed at both general audiences and students. These channels expanded access to specialized educational content, such as science, history, and cultural programming, marking a shift in distance education by leveraging cable networks. -
French in Action (and other language immersion telecourses)
This video-based instructional series for learning French demonstrated innovative language teaching techniques through telecourses. Later on Annenberg/CPB (along with PBS affiliates [like WGBH]), helped create Destinos and Fokus Deutsch, two similar language immersion programs. -
Emergence of Internet-Based Education
The advent of the internet revolutionized distance learning, with institutions adopting online platforms for course delivery. -
Launch of OpenCourseWare
MIT introduced OpenCourseWare, providing free access to online course materials, fueling the open education movement. -
Introduction of MOOCs
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) were introduced, allowing for large-scale participation in online learning. -
MOOC Expansion
Platforms like Coursera and edX partnered with universities to offer diverse, globally accessible courses. -
Surge in Online Learning Due to COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a rapid shift to online education, significantly advancing distance learning technologies.