Historical Delivery and Advantages/Disadvantages
of Distance Education

History Home
Purpose
User Profiles
Delivery & Advantages/ Disadvantages

Historical Advantages
of Distance Education

  • Increased access to education
  • Provided flexibility of time and location
  • Self-paced schedule
  • Inexpensive/Cost Effective
  • Easy to use and Spontaneous
  

Historical Disadvantages
Distance Education

  • Primarily one-way communication
  • Courses lacked academic creditability & respect
  • Lack of quality programs/quality control
  • Inadequate & limited areas of study
  • Lack of social interaction & collaboration opportunities with fellow students
  • Limited feedback & ineraction with instructor
  • Inadequate access to traditional campus resources (i.e., library, labs, bookstore, etc.)

First & Second Generation
Distance Education Delivery Mediums

First Generation
1850's to 1960
Second Generation
1960 to 1985

Print (1890+)
Audiocassettes

Radio (1930s)
Television
Television (1930s and 1960s)
Videocassettes
Fax
Print

Early distance education consisted of "one-way" communication delivery (print, radio & television).
Sherron & Boettcher categorized 4 different generations of distance education. Distance Education prior to 1985
consisted of First & Second Generation Technologies. (14)