Sasha Thackaberry's List: History of Distance Learning and Disruptive Innovation and eLearning

Post on the origins of DL, disruptive innovation, and connections by Brandi Hoffman... For me when I think of distance education I think of online courses, discussion boards or something of the like. When in reality the development of distance education was created through a relation...

"Distance learning itself could be viewed as a disruptive innovation to higher education. When universities in the US colonies were first established, they were mainly open to white males from affluent families that traveled great distances to learn from their professors. With the emergence of additional higher education institutions and programs, along with the various learning platforms available, higher education is now available to any individual all over the US and across the world. Community colleges have been established in communities including predominantly rural and urban areas where students of any race, gender and socioeconomic background can take a class at any time that is convenient for them."

""As you go in the belly of the beast, you will run into this brick wall every single time."  Michael Horn, co-founder of the Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation.  Horn was not specific about the "brick wall," but many times the word "technology," is a brick wall itself.  People are resistant to learning new technology, even those who are relatively comfortable with technology.  Many people think that technology takes away from the classroom in the traditional sense.  Instead, technology should be embraced as a way to enhance what we already know works from the traditional classroom setting; and, it should also be utilized as a means to improve what is lacking in the traditional classroom setting."

"Distance learning, although relatively new in nature, is a concept that has been present in society for the past two centuries. Sir Isaac Pitman established a method for instructing shorthand through correspondence in 1840, which as we all know did not involve any involvement with eLearning (Thackberry, 2014). For an idea that has been around for a multitude of years, one has to wonder why there has been what appears to be a drastic increase in conversation regarding the topic. Harvard business professor, Clay Christensen has coined the phrase, “Disruptive technology” to describe technological advances which eventually overturn of become more popular than the previous product or method (Thackberry, 2014). "

An excellent, interactive timeline by Valerie Feagin Reed on the historical development of distance education.

"Disruptive innovation, which has been a bit of a buzzword since the late 90s, is back in the news: Jill Lepore wrote an article for The New Yorker criticizing the theory, and Clayton Christensen, its founding father, fired back in an interview with Businessweek. Slate’s Will Oremus chimed in, too, with a cheeky breakdown of Lepore’s arguments and a reminder that disruptive innovation shouldn’t be thrown around without really understanding what it means.  So let’s try to figure out what it means, or at least get the basics."

"So as I examine an historical example of technological capabilities available at the time and their use in distance learning, I will look at VHS tapes/CDs/DVDs that were available in the 1980’s and 90’s.  There was a time when students were dependent on attending classes in person to get the information from their professor.  With the invention of the media mentioned, the classroom was extended beyond the face-to-face.  A student could now take a distance course and view the lecture using the media on a television.  This then quickly led to the adaption of the lectures for use on a computer and then the internet.  These were all new and disruptive to the status quo of higher education.  It has led to almost all colleges offering at least one distance education course and many have complete degree programs via distance."

"If higher education was a superhero, arguably it’s kryptonite might just be the double-edged sword that are ‘MOOC’s. The expansion of online courses and the holistic development of eLearning have caused waves in the once still waters of higher education, and set us on a definitively new path -a path with an unknown destination.
That ambiguity has sent some in the field spiraling into an existential crisis. But before we start stockpiling canned goods, bottled water, and prepping for an education apocalypse, let’s first remember that this situation is nothing new, and we must look at where we’ve been to see where we’re going."

History of Distance Learning presentation by Jill Thompson.

A history of distance learning/

History of distance learning as described by Jamie McCartney - excellent presentation.