The Long Tradition of Distance Learning

Posted on July 3, 2007 by Barbara Macaulay

Some might have you think distance learning is a contemporary invention of our modern era. While it is true that the online component has come about as a function of this era's computer and Internet age, distance learning has been around a long, long time. While it may not have a historic pedigree quite as long as the traditional classroom education system, you may be surprised to learn just how far back distance learning can be traced in history.

Here, for example, from Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia, is an overview of distance learning and its history. If you go to the section on this page entitled Origins, you'll learn that distance learning started in the 1800s:

Modern distance education has been around at least since Isaac Pitman taught shorthand in Great Britain via correspondence in the 1840s.

The man pictured here is Isaac Pitman. You can read more about him and see this photograph as it appears on the Wikipedia site at this link.

The point is, if you feel the influence of people who say online education (the new way distance learning is delivered) is new, experimental, untested and therefore to be weighed with caution against more traditional forms of education, now you know the whole idea dates back to at least 167 years ago.