History of E-learning

Teaching Machine Invented

1954

BF Skinner, a Harvard professor, invented the "teaching machine" in 1954, allowing schools to provide programmed instruction to students. The machine was made from wood and used paper discs to ask students questions. Each paper disc had one question written on it. After reading the question, the student would write their answer on the same disc. Once the answer was written, the student would press a button on the machine which would hide their answer and reveal the correct response.

PLATO Program: The First Computer-Based Learning

1959

Based on the concept developed by BF Skinner's machine, the University of Illinois developed the PLATO program. This platform led to computer-based gaming in the 1960s. By the 1970s, this platform made its way into K-12 schools in the surrounding vicinity of U of I. By that point, an M&M dispenser was attached to the computer to reward students when they got a correct answer.

The First Online Courses

1983

The former CEO of Atari, Ron Gordon, creates the Electronic University Network. This allowed anyone with a personal computer to take online classes. This occurred during the introductory year of the internet.

The First Fully Accredited University

1993

10 years after the first online courses were developed and published, Jones International University became the first fully accredited online university in the world, where students could enroll and receive a college degree.

Covid-19 Pandemic

2020

During the global shutdown and quarantine caused by the SARS Coronavirus (Covid-19), physical in-person meetings for schools and business training were suspended. This led to the majority of learning being conducted through online and virtual means. The first time in history such an occurrence has taken place.