The idea of learning from the comfort of your home, on your own schedule, used to be little more than a pipe dream. Just imagine being able to complete a class or even an entire degree from the comfort of your couch while wearing your pajamas. Distance education courses make this dream a reality, and the internet has played a tremendous role in making this education venue an option for millions each year. As big a role as the internet has played in the spread of distance education practices, the idea of a distance education is nearly as old as America itself.
Distance education can trace its roots to 1728 when a man named Caleb Phillips placed an advertisement in the Boston Gazette seeking students to learn short hand through lessons sent in weekly. The rise of postal services in the 19th century led to a rise in distance education offerings. The idea of offering a degree through distance education programs was first touted by the University of London in 1858.
Regardless of the school or country, the purpose of a distance education is to provide education outlets to larger portions of the population. As critical as the post office may have been to the early development of distance education courses, no technology has had a greater impact on distance educations than computers. The very manner in which distance educations are now provided to students would not be possible without computers.
Distance education technologies are currently divided into two groups of delivery, synchronous and asynchronous. Synchronous methods of delivery require all students enrolled in a distance education course to be “present” at the same time, which is to say that they all need to be in front of a computer at the same time. Examples of synchronous delivery include:
- Web conferencing
- Videoconferencing
- Direct-broadcast satellite
- Internet radio
- Live streaming
- Telephone
Asynchronous distance education is more flexible because students do not have to be “present” at the same time as each other or the professor. Instead, students are allowed to access the materials for the course on a timetable that works for them. Examples of asynchronous delivery include:
- Mail correspondence
- Message board forums
- Video and audio recordings
- Print materials
- Voicemail and fax
Earning a degree through distance education is becoming immensely popular, particularly in the 21st century as our technology advances rapidly. In the fall of 2004 there were 2.3 million students enrolled in distance education courses in the U.S. Just one year later that figure jumped to 3.2 million. It is now possible to earn a degree through distance education courses at any level including:
- Degree, certificate, and diploma programs
- Associate’s degrees
- Bachelor’s degrees
- Master’s degrees
- Doctoral degrees
With the exception of the Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree, nearly every degree program offered by traditional universities and institutions can now be found in distance education coursework as well. Currently the most popular distance education degree programs are:
- Business Administration
- Criminal Justice
- Psychology
- Nursing
It comes as little surprise that these programs are popular distance education programs. Nursing is expected to be the single fastest growing career field over the next decade, and distance education programs allow individuals a chance to take advantage of that growth while maintaining their current job. Business administration degrees are popular because of the flexibility in work after completion of the degree. Lastly, Psychology has long been one of the most popular degrees in universities and colleges around the globe so it is not shocking that it is one of the most popular distance education programs as well.
Finding the right distance education program for your needs is easy with the help of sites like ieducation.com. Here prospective students can search for distance education programs quickly and easily, and even search for grants to help finance their education.