Online Education ties together several historical threads—computers, distance learning, and telecommunications, just to name a few. This means tracing the history of online education goes back much further than just the dawn of the Internet.
We do our best to bring all these related streams together into a single timeline. But, be aware, online learning is a lot more than just internet technology. It also merges educational theory, computer technology, and even legislation. All of these are needed to make your online education possible.
Before 1900: The Industrial Age and Early Computers
You might not think of computer technology as emerging in a time when the steam engine was considered modern technology. But the earliest computers were born during the Industrial Era. Some may dispute what counts as a “computer.” Strictly speaking, any counting machine such as an abacus might be regarded as a computer. But this time period actually marks the debut of the first semi-automated computing machines. This era also marks the beginning of radios, motion pictures, and—especially important for our purposes—correspondence courses.
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1728 |
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1873 |
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1876 |
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1878 |
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1892 |
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1895 |
![]() Guglielmo Marconi |
1900–59: The Great Wars and The Proto-Internet Era
The early incentive for innovation in computer technology was often war-related. In this era, the word “computer” still meant “a person who does computation.” During and after two world wars, the biggest source of funding and federal support was for military purposes, most notably for competing with the Russians. Russia’s launch of Sputnik in 1957 set American forces ablaze with new inspiration. After a decade of robust post-war production and innovation, the United States is well-positioned to take a lead in technology development. In this era, radio technology reaches into every home, and television and video recording are invented.
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1911 |
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1934 |
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1941 |
![]() The Z3 computer by Konrad Zuse (1941) |
1942 |
![]() Colossus pictured here in 31 Dec. 1942 |
1946 |
![]() The RCA 630-TS pictured here in a museum display 21 October 2012 |
1950 |
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1951 |
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1953 |
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1957 |
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1958 |
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1960–79: The Space Age and the Early Internet
The internet takes its first wobbly steps in these early years. This era is marked by many “firsts,” including the invention of packet switching, ASCII coding, the term “internet,” the launch of ARPANET, and of course, and the first internet signal—“LO” (attempting the word “LOGIN”). Most of the technology developed in this period has since been retired, antiquated by the natural evolution of technology. But this would be a period of rapid and remarkable breakthrough, giving first light to the prospect of a worldwide computer network.
1961 |
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1962 |
![]() J.C.R. Licklider |
1963 |
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1975 |
![]() Microsoft pioneer Bill Gates |
1976 |
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1977 |
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1980–89: The Computer Age and the Modern Internet
Even though internet-type signals had been transmitted from school to school in decades past, the 1980’s are the birth years of modern internet. Before this era, the internet—and online education with it—were just research experiments. The vision for the internet was primarily based in university computer labs. But online education does finds its earliest entrants in the 1980’. During this era, the internet reaches Europe and Asia. Infrastructure is laid down, providing for faster and more expansive internet operations and effectively opening the door for the total commercial and popular permeation of web use in the decade that would immediately follow.
1980 |
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1981 |
![]() The Osborne 1 portable computer |
1982 |
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1983 |
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1984 |
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1985 |
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1987 |
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1988 |
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1989 |
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1990–99: The Information Age and the Internet Boom
The 1990’s are marked by a tech boom, as the commercial prospects of the internet are starting to take root. The early pioneers of online learning enter the fray around this time. But other companies begin utilizing the internet to pioneer brand new avenues of entertainment, learning, exploration, and discovery. Sometimes called the “internet bubble,” this tech boom is marked by inflated economic growth.
1990 |
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1991 |
![]() The First Website on 6 August 1991. |
1992 |
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1993 |
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2000–Today: The Information Age, Part Two — the Global Community
After the rapid expansion of the Internet in the 1990s, the novelty begins to wear off and its truly seismic impact is felt across the globe and throughout society. Distant villages and households are connecting to the internet. Legislation and policy is increasingly challenged to keep up with the hastened pace of information coursing through the internet. Increasingly, conventional businesses and information mediums shift into online formats and it becomes the norm for most everyone to have a website, as well as a unique “digital profile” (record of one’s interactions in social media, browsing, commenting, and shopping). From 2000 forward, the internet is firmly entrenched as a critical dimension of modern society, as opposed to merely a new technology added onto old society.
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Sources
- https://www.internetsociety.org/internet/history-internet/brief-history-internet/
- https://www.zakon.org/robert/internet/timeline/
- http://www.internethalloffame.org/internet-history/timeline
- http://www.worldwidelearn.com/education-articles/history-of-distance-learning.html
- http://www.computerhistory.org/timeline/computers/
- http://history-computer.com/
- https://www.cnet.com/news/youtube-started-as-an-online-dating-site/
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