Evolution of Online Learning

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    The First Correspondence Course

    The first online course begin in 1800. This was done by using parcel, in order to reach students who could not attend a traditional university on campus.
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    Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB)

    The value of television for education was furthered by the establishment of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) in 1967. The CPB mission was "to encourage the growth and development of public radio and television broadcasting, including the use of such media for instructional, educational, and cultural purposes" ( Kentnor, p.27).
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    Broadcasting

    In 1900 there were improvement in communication. Distance education took on the air waves. In 1919 at the University of Wisconsin, professors started a radio broadcasting station. Moving along higher learning expanded with the invention of television. Which is known for telecourse. In the 1950s, the FCC (Federal Communcations Commision) observed television frequencies for educational opportunities, in which it became public knowledge.
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    Western Behavioral Sciences Institute

    In the early 80s Western Behavioral Sciences Institutue emerged with online learning. They opened the School of Mangement and Strategic Studies. Upon opening, they employed conferercing in order to deliver a online education program to executives.
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    Connected Education

    Connected Education offered it first master’s degree media studies program in 1985. The University of Phoenix offered education degree programs in 1989 through the internet. University of Illinois, 1993 debuted the first internet web browser. More and more online learning programs begin to flourish in 1998.
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    The Educational Technology Leadership Program

    Developed by Dr. William Lynch, in 1992 at George Washington Unversity offered a master’s degree that was an online course, in which classes were taught via satellite at night, and students communicated by a bulletin board system.
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    The Educational Technology Leadership Program transitioned

    Developed by Dr. William Lynch, in 1992 at George Washington Unversity offered a master’s degree that was an online course, in which classes were taught via satellite at night, and students communicated by a bulletin board system. In May 1994, the first cohort graduated. In 1996 the ETL program transitioned by Bill Robie, to the internet. He also was responsible for assembling web-based tools and HTML pages
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    Online Learning- COVID-19 Pandemic

    8% percent of students in 2000 were enrolled in an online course. However, in 2008 online enrollment increases by 20%percent. In 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic caused many colleges and universities to transition to online learning in lieu of holding the regular traditional classes on campus.