This document provides a history of online learning and discusses its current state. It traces the origins of online education back to the 1950s with televised college courses. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, various universities pioneered computer-based and internet-based education. By the 2000s, online learning had grown substantially with millions of K-12 and university students taking online courses and some states requiring an online course for high school graduation. The document also compares and contrasts online with traditional education, noting benefits like flexibility but also challenges like less social interaction.

1. Elyse Whitt
August 15, 2011
EDTC 601
ONLINE LEARNING

2. What is Online Learning
 All forms of electronically
supported learning and
teaching
 This includes web-based
learning, computer-based
learning, virtual education
opportunities and digital
collaboration
 In 2006 3.5 million students
were participating in online
learning
 Online learning is utilized by
public K-12 schools and
universities in the United
States

3. History of Virtual Learning
 1953 University of Houston offers the first
televised college credit classes
 13-15 hours a week
 Mid-1960’s 1/3 of the station’s programming devoted
to education
 1956 The first adaptive teaching system was put
into commercial production
 1956-1958 A physics professor at U. C. Berkeley
produced 163 high school physics lessons that
were broadcast into public schools

4. History Continued
 University of Chicago produces Sunrise
Semester, a series of courses delivered via
broadcast television
 1960 Programmed Logic for Automated
Teaching Operations system was developed
at the University of Illinois
 PLATO delivers managed course content over the
internet
 1963 The first computer for instruction is
installed at Orange Coast College

5. History
 1964 The first authoring system for
developing lessons and courses on a
computer system is produced
 1968 an IBM 1500 system was installed at the
University of Alberta
 With 12 years of operation 20,000 people had
used the system

6. The start of the Internet
 1969 The US Department
of Defense commissions
ARPANET
 The start of the internet as
we know it
 The first Associate
Committee on
Instructional Technology
is formed at the National
Research Council of
Canada

7. First Online Classes
 1993 William Graziadei began an online
computer –delivered lecture including
tutorials and assessment projects using email
 1997 Graziadei published an article describing
a process of evaluating products and
developing an overall strategy for
technology-based courses

8. Online Learning in the US
 In 2006 38 states have
established sate-led
online learning programs
 25 states have state-led
online learning programs
 18 states are home to a
total of 147 virtual charter
schools
 In 2006 Michigan
became the first state to
require students to take
an online course for
graduation

9. Compare Online Vs. Traditional
 Content of courses
 Assignments that are
required
 Same academic quality
 Student and teacher
interactions

10. Contrast Online Vs.
Traditional
Online Traditional
 Allows learning in distant  Interactive classroom
or disadvantaged locations setting that promotes the
 Specializes in learning open exchange of ideas
differences between  Different form of structure
students some students seek
 Flexibility in schedule  Easy access to school
library and other resources

11. Types of Online Programs
 Programs vary by  Full time cyber school
grade level, type of students take state
students served and assessments
length  Programs are helping
 Majority of programs teachers reach
use highly qualified students who were not
teachers, learning successful in traditional
management software schools
and digital course
content

12. Benefits of K12 Online
Learning
 Students can log into courses
anywhere there is an internet
connection
 Student can maintain their
own pacing and progress
 Students have larger
selection of courses
 Students have flexibility for
students to create their own
schedules
 Students have a more
individualized instruction
 Students have more choices
of schools

13. Disadvantages of K12 Online
Learning
 Parent involvement is  More individualized
higher online programs may
 Parents need to play cost tuition
many roles for their  Lack of social
student environment
 Guidance counselor  Lack of school clubs
 Advocate and sports
 Leader

14. Local Online K12 Schools
 Denver Online High  Colorado Virtual
School Academy
 http://online.dpsk12.org  http://www.covcs.org
 Academy Online High  Falcon Virtual Academy
School  www.d49.org/school/fva
 http://www.d20onlinesc  Provost Academy
hool.org Colorado
 Connections Academy  http://co.provostacade
 http://www.connections my.com
academy.com

15. References
 Dan Lips. (January 12, 2010). How Online Learning Is Revolutionizing K-
12 Education and Benefiting Students. In The Heritage Foundation .
Retrieved August 19 2011, from
http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2010/01/how-online-learning-
is-revolutionizing-k12-education-and-benefiting-students .
 N. A.. (July 27, 2011). Online Programs. In The Colorado Department of
Education. Retrieved August 19, 2011, from
http://www.cde.state.co.us/onlinelearning/schools.htm#Academy20.
 N. A.. (August 12, 2011). Web 2,0. In Wikipedia. Retrieved August 16,
2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2.0 .
 N. A.. (N. D. ). K12 Education Articles. In Directory of Schools. Retrieved
August 16, 2011, from http://www.directoryofschools.com/Education-
Articles/K12-Education/K12-Education-Online-Learning.htm.
 N. A.. (2006). 10 Advantages to Taking Online Classes. In Online
Education Database. Retrieved August 19 2011, from
http://oedb.org/library/distance-vs-local/10-advantages-to-taking-
online-classes .