Say What? Distance Education?

What is distance education? Well, there are many definitions of distance education but my definition of distance education is simply “learning in a non-traditional face to face situation”. Distance learning can include correspondence courses, online courses, or a combination of the two. When I think of distance education I think of technology. Technology and distance education are both intertwined and they coexist. Without technology, distance education could not exist.

It is believed that distance education began in the early 1800’s and was “born out of a need for educational opportunities to reach a geographically dispersed population”. According to,” the first distance learning was in the form of correspondence courses. Other, more advanced forms did not emerge until the onset of the industrialization age in the 1920s. Developments in new technology during that period—from the late 1920s to 1970—saw distance learning opportunities grow through the use of radio and television. By 1970, the world had begun to focus on the power of the computer and distance learning entered the virtual age”. As you can see, it is because of technology and the advancement of technology that distance education has grown.

My first experience with distance learning was during my undergraduate studies at Middle Tennessee State University. I wasn’t too enthusiastic about enrolling in online classes mainly because my views of distance learning were negative but I had to work full time and go to school, therefore my choices were limited. I didn’t believe I could get a quality education online. What I didn’t realize was that the same courses I was taking online were also being offered in a traditional setting and usually by the same professors that were teaching traditional classes.

 After careful consideration and an academic counseling session, I enrolled in 3 online courses and 3 traditional ones and by the end of the semester; I was convinced that online classes were the best choice for me. Online courses offered the flexibility I needed even though the course load/work load was more. I was ok with it and when it was time to register for course for the next semester, I enrolled in 6 online courses and couldn’t have been happier.

Resources:

Brightbub (2010, February 3). The History of Distance Learning. Retrieved January 8, 2012, from     http://www.brighthub.com/education/online-learning/articles/24126.aspx