Diffusion of Distance Education

According to the theory of diffusion of innovations, new ideas and practices spread through a five-step process that starts with awareness of the idea or practice, followed by interest, evaluation, trial, and adoption. The diffusion of distance education, a mode of education that uses technology to overcome the physical separation of the teacher and learners, resembles other diffusion processes.

While forms of distance education existed before computers, the development of personal computers, tablets, smartphones, and the Internet have created a need for educators to think about how best to use these technologies in school settings. New technologies make it easier for people to be educated without being in the same place as an instructor. Information and communication technologies (ICTs; e.g., Internet, e-mail, chat lines, wikis, blogs, ...