Recent Changes

1950- Iowa State launched first educational television program
1964- PBS was created and education television began its successful journey
1971-/first emails were sent - cable and satellite television
Main reasons behind growth - access, efficiency, stability, cost and technology
1960-1980
In the 1970’s, a California task force was formed to develop and define profitable and educational telecourses. Not long after, a new institution, Coastline Community College, was formed to handle the filming and development of distance education videos that were broadcast to other colleges, libraries and public television channels throughout the country. These courses had to cover entire curricula and conform to the same academic standards applied to traditional schools. In 1976, Coastline had almost 20,000 students. It was the first entirely virtual college.
Computers were also used for distance learning. COURSEWRITER, an online distance learning system, was developed as early as the 60’s by IBM. The system could be customized to deliver a variety of different types of classes, and it was used in 17 different courses—including cardiology training—at the University of Alberta from 1968 to 1980.
Online education was being developed as early as the 1970’s, using very primitive forms of computer networking. The technology improved throughout the 1980’s, and online education began to be popular among companies and government institutions for in-house training of employees. But online education didn’t reach a popular audience until the 1990’s, along with the Internet itself.
1990's
In 1994, CALCampus was developed by a small offline distance learning institution based in New Hampshire, which began offering a completely online school delivering instruction, administration and materials entirely via the Internet. The courses were delivered via virtual classroom instruction, where students and teachers interacted in real time.
Also at the same time Open University, a distance learning institution funded by the British government, began offering a “virtual summer school” where students could take a Cognitive Psychology course online. Students at home could participate in forum discussions, email instructors, receive and hand in assignments entirely online.
1996
The first fully accredited, fully online institution was Jones International University. It was launched in 1996. Today, there are hundreds of online universities based in the United States, many with regional accreditation, and many more throughout the world.
Today
Millions of students today achieve certification, personal enrichment, and advanced degrees through education programs delivered entirely online. Today’s technology allows for many different methods of delivery, from online chat and advanced email services to video and conferencing media allowing real-time instruction. Starting as early as the 1800’s with correspondence courses teaching shorthand and other topics, distance education has evolved to cover multiple subjects from medicine to engineering and art. Along with the Internet, online education has continued to evolve—and is likely to serve an increasingly important role in education around the world.
From http://www.distance-education.org/Articles/The-History-of-Distance-Education-113.html

The Negatives of Distance Education
Achievement Gap
Social Isolation
Cost
Quality of Instruction
Achievement Gap
Not every student learns at the same pace and while this is sometimes beneficial, it can through those less motivated or passive students off course when they struggle to keep up or suffer from the lack of interactivity. This problem directly effects children who live in poverty more then other socioeconomic backgrounds.
Dubois, L (2010) Faraway Distance Learning; The Rural Achievement Gap. Retrieved from http://www.vanderbilt.edu/magazines/peabody-reflector/2010/06/far-away-distance-learning/
Social Isolation
Without the face to face environment of a normal classroom students lose the opportunity for timely and effective feedback, and/or lose focus on the problem they needed assistance with. Students lose the effect of peer teaching because often the only learning opportunity they have is learning from the instructor. Passive students can often be left out of the loop because of the lack of teachers calling on them and the fear of sharing information with people they have never met.
Mizuno, Y (1999) Social Issues In Distance Education. Retrieved from http://ldt.stanford.edu/ldt1999/Students/mizuno/Portfolio/work/reports/ed333b-paper.html
Cost
The cost of purchasing a computer and maintaining internet access is a requirement for distance education. Although there are many free programs the aid in distance education, often the biggest cost is the enrollment of distance education.
(2011). Advantage and Disadvantage of Distance Learning. Retrieved from http://www.distance-learning-college-guide.com/advantage-and-disadvantage-of-distance-learning.html
Quality of Instruction
To have good quality instruction in distance education, an educator must take much more preparation time then an educator in the normal classroom.
Sutton, L. A. (1999) Current Research In Distance Education. Retrieved from http://seamonkey.ed.asu.edu/~mcisaac/emc703/leah2.html

Interviewing Students who have participated in Distance Learning:
When interviewing a student who is participating in distance learning currently, who wants to remain anoynomous said, "I enjoyed distance learning becuase it allowed me to learn at my own pace as well as at my own time. I chose to take distance learning classes because I have an extremely hectic life. I wanted to further my education but never could find the time for classes, finally I decided to try distance learning and I have loved it ever since." (Anoynomous, 2011)
her blog:
My advice is to spend your first year in or two in college taking regular classroom courses to get into the groove of how college works. Make new friends, get to know a few teachers face to face, and then venture out into the online degree. If this is not an option for you, and you need to go straight into online courses, don't feel guilty. They are great, and you can still learn just as much! (Online Education, 2008)
Sources Used:

Would you like to read assignments and watch videos of your teacher lecturing?
Complete assignments in your bed versus sitting in class taking notes?
Easy delievery in course materials to users
Abiltity to expand student learning oppurtunites
- (Michigan State University Board of Trustees, 2006).
Reasons Why Students Think Distance Learning is the Way to Go:
If you have a shy personality it can benifit him/her to utilize distance learning so he/she is able to participate without worrying about his/her peers.
Study at the student's own pace.
If the student is being bullied this can remove them from the situation.
If the student is sick this may help accommodate the student so he/she will not fall behind.
Online classes allows the student to voice his/her own opinion
Participating in online education makes school materials accessible and convenient at any given time for the students
(“Online Education”, 2008).
Looking past high school education, Julie Wenzel considers the “college experience” for potential students in her blog:
My advice is to spend your first year in or two in college taking regular classroom courses to get into the groove of how college works. Make new friends, get to know a few teachers face to face, and then venture out into the online degree. If this is not an option for you, and you need to go straight into online courses, don't feel guilty. They are great, and you can still learn just as much! (Online Education, 2008)
Sources Used:
Michigan State University Board of Trustees, Initials. (2006, December 14). Benifits of online teaching. Retrieved from http://vudat.msu.edu/benefits_online/
Online Education. (2008, October 17). Retrieved November 17, 2010, from Issues & Controversies: In-Depth Investigations of Today's Top Issues:
http://www.2facts.com/icof_story.aspx?PIN=i1300570&term=online+education%5c