In the mid-19th century America, educators used the postal system to impart knowledge to people who could not attend traditional schools for a variety of reasons. This was the beginning of distance education and it was delivered through the exchange of print-based study material. Those who benefited most from it were students with physical disabilities, people with jobs that made it difficult for them to attend school during work hours, or those who lived in far-flung areas that didn’t have proper schools.

Cut to the present – students who now enroll in distance learning courses belong to a much wider demographic base. However, there are some typical factors that distinguish distance learning students from those who attend on-campus programs. The former are generally older and most of them juggle their education with other commitments like jobs or family responsibilities.

Distance education itself has also evolved a great deal over the last two centuries. Technological advancement is one of the biggest factors contributing to this change. The way distance education is disbursed has altered beyond imagination and with it has come vast improvement in the quality of distance learning courses and a change in public perception about them.

Technology & Education

Although distance education has always used the prevalent communication technologies of the time to reach students, never has the use been so widespread and effective as it has been with the advent of the World Wide Web.

Only Internet has made it possible for students to attend lectures sitting at home in front of their PCs via video-conferencing. It has thrown up novel ways of classroom interaction – from online discussion boards and chat rooms for students to participate in group discussions to bulletin boards and forums where they can post their queries or answer questions posed by instructors.

While some online distance education courses require students to spend a part of their time on campus, others may not need any classroom attendance whatsoever. The teaching methods can vary from university to university, but the common thread remains the generous use of technology in imparting high quality education.

According to a report by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 75 percent of the institutions offering college-level distance learning courses cited using asynchronous Internet-based technologies to a large extent for the delivery of education to its students. Only eight percent of institutions reported using mostly print-based documents as the means of instruction.

Rising Popularity

If distance education was God sent for some 19th century Americans, it is a boon for many of our rural population. It offers them a chance to enhance their skills from anywhere, at anytime, on their own schedule, and at their own pace. With no overhead costs like car and fuel for commuting to college or a dorm for lodging, distance education also turns out to be a more affordable option for many families.

According to the NCES report, an estimated 12.2 million students enrolled in college-level credit-granting distance education courses offered by 2-year and 4-year institutions in the 2006-07 academic year – a staggering figure that is likely to keep growing.

Even employers realize the benefits of distance education and are creating an environment – be it in the form of financial aid or making available their high tech equipment and facilities - that encourages their employees to take up these online distance learning programs in a bid to upgrade their skills.