No, this isn’t one of the many MOOCs infographics you are about to view. This is simply about the evolution of online education. It’s amazing to note that online education has been tried before, and maybe it was the lack of platform that they were delivered on, that it failed to pick up.
College Degrees Search have put together this infographic on online education. It tells us that in 1940’s the Military successfully used TV education during WWII. Not sure what for.
No technology would be completed without mentioning Henry Ford at least once, and hence the year of 1950, when Henry Ford began the long-term support for distance learning, starting with televised educational programs. Other key dates that surprised me are:
1960 – University of Illinois developed PLATO (Programmed Logic for Automatic Teaching Operations) and used linked computer terminals for remote lectures
1984 – CSILE (Computer-Supported Intentional Learning Environments) developed, allowing for collaborative learning online
1992 – CAPA (Computer Assisted Personalized Approach) introduced, ushering in international online learning
1994 – MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses) hit the scene with Open University’s Virtual Summer School
1995 –University of Illinois developed Mallard, a web-based course management system, allowing flexibility for graduate students to serve as online professors
1997 – California Virtual University opened, offering 1,500 online courses | Blackboard founded, allowing for a more personalized online learning experience
2000 –First online law school opened: Concord University School of Law
2004 – Sakai initiated a Collaboration and Learning Environment (CLE), initiating a collaborative online learning environment
2010 – Online education revolution began | Top colleges offered some free online courses
2011 – Nearly 1/3 of all college students enrolled on at least one online class
2012 – Harvard Open Courses opened to the public, offering online classes to mimic real Harvard classrooms
Today – Over 6 million students enrol on online classes | Twice as many students earn online degrees
than traditional degrees
