Distributed learning (or distributed education) refers to the delivery of educational resources over a distance, allowing instruction and learning to occur independent of time and place. Originally, the term was applied to instruction that was “distributed” to students in off-campus locations, and included not only correspondence courses by mail, but also face-to-face instruction at noncampus sites. Currently, distributed learning refers to educational activities that integrate information technology into the learning and teaching enterprise.

The mandate of some educational institutions is to train students who are geographically dispersed from one another and from the institutions themselves. They represent what has historically been known as “distance education.” These institutions used to rely on individually directed study, mail, the telephone, and/or infrequent residential sessions for contact between students and ...