Diverse media were used in distant education

Distance education first appeared on university level at the end of the 19th century in the USA, when several initiatives were started to introduce education through correspondence courses. Already at the beginning of the 20th century attention was directed at creating new pedagogical models for correspondence courses, as well as quality standards for their delivery.

Detailed historical overview of distance education shows that technologies greatly influenced its development, and computer and communication media proved especially important in the history of e-education. Other than radio shows and two-way radios, distance education used the film media, public, cable and satellite TV, as well as pay-per-view and video-on-demand systems. Permanent records of educational materials were recorded on media like gramophone records, audio and video tapes.  

Computer technology enabled interactive teaching in e-education through courseware, and first such systems appeared around 1960. This type of instruction has been using terms like computer assisted learning (CAL), computer based instruction (CBI) for over 30 years, along with other similar terms and abbreviations for the use of IT in education. Special progress in the use of computers in education was enabled by multimedia CD-ROM technology, and technological and pedagogical revolution in distance education happened with the development of World Wide Web.

Tips & tricks: Consider what good sides of other distance education media you can use when designing interaction with the participants and the way you present the content in your own internet/web based system.