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Phonographic Institute in Cincinnati, OH
Self-taught secretaries mailed their stenographic and shorthand exercises to the Phonographic Institute to earn a certificate. The U.S. Postal Service made this possible. -
Period: to
1852 to Present
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Society to Encourage Studies at Home
Anna Ticknnor created a way for people (mostly women) from any class to learn from their homes. There were over 10,000 participants in a 24 year period. -
Chautauqua Correspondence College
The Chautauqua Correspondence College, renamed Chautauqua College of Liberal Arts in 1893, began awarding diplomas and degrees from its home base in New York. -
Extension Department of New University of Chicago
The university's first president, William Rainey Harper, inspired by his experience at Chautauqua, helped develop the first formal university of distance education. -
Cornell University Home Extension
Cornell began offering courses to rural New York women in home economics. In the next five years, over 20,000 women had enrolled in courses. -
Educational Radio Licenses
The University of Salt Lake City, University of Wisconsin and University of Minnesota were all granted licenses to have educational radio stations. By 1940, though, only one college level course was being offered via radio. -
39 Universities Offering Courses
By 1930, 39 American universities were offering correspondence courses, using the U.S. Postal Service. -
University of Iowa Uses Television
The University of Iowa begins using television to broadcast instructional courses. -
United States Army Institute Formed
Renamed United States Armed Forces Institute in 1943, this institute offered correspondence learning to military personnel worldwide through 1974. -
60 Universities have Correspondence Departments
By the end of the 1950's, 60 universities offer correspondence programs and courses. -
First Fully Televised College Courses
In 1970, the first fully televised college courses were offered by Coastline Community College -
Indiana University Establishes School of Continuing Studies
The Indiana University School of Continuing Studies was established in 1975 to serve the academic needs of adult learners in Indiana and around the world. Through its distance education program, the school offers •an online graduate degree in adult education.
•more than 160 undergraduate independent study courses and more than 100 high school independent study courses.
•an accredited high school diploma.
•professional development programs and custom training opportunities. -
First State Educational Satellite System
Learn/Alaska created in 1980 to broadcast six hours of instruction daily to 100 villages, many of which could only be reached by air. -
University of Phoenix Emerges
The University of Phoenix begins offering undergraduate and graduate courses and degrees using satellite methods. -
World Wide Web Created
The World Wide Web is created in 1991. The information superhighway is born. -
Jones University Opens Virtual Doors
Jones offers 5 bachelor's degrees and 24 master's degrees to become the first accredited fully online university. -
California Virtual Campus
A consortium of universities is created to offer over 1,500 different courses from nearly 100 colleges and universities in California. -
Distance Learning Education Commission Created
The U.S. Government creates a commission to to investigate the best ways to deliver distance education.
