Distance Education, History of

[Page 376]Distance education is a form of teaching and learning in which the instructor and student are located in different physical spaces rather than meeting together in a traditional classroom. This type of education is heavily influenced by changes in technology both inside and outside of the classroom. For example, the industrial era generated a need for more skilled workers, the postal system allowed for the exchange of instructional materials, and advances in digital technology led to the development of online classes.

Distance education is taught in different ways and uses various methods of instruction; it is used for both credit- and noncredit bearing courses. Varieties of distance education include correspondence courses, one-way audio or video courses, two-way video courses, online courses, and massive open online ...