Submitted by: Julie Harding
With media and technology evolving in the 1960's, changes were being made to distance education. Instead of relying on the postal system to deliver instructional materials, course information could be delivered via radio and television. Using multiple media combined with an administrative backbone to support the education, open universities were enrolling students.This era really could have been broken out into two sections 1960-1964 and 1965-1970, because there was much more going on than I expected...especially toward the end of the decade.
The technology development highlights of the 60’s effecting Distance Education I found most interesting are referenced below:
1962 – The Educational Television Facilities Act allocates $32 million in federal matching funds for construction of educational television stations. (Encyclopedia of Television)
- The Agency for Instructional Television is formed. (AIT website)- Wilbur Schramm of Stanford’s Institute for Communication Research publishes the results of a study of ITV, stating that “there can no longer be any doubt that students learn efficiently from instructional television.” (Schramm, 1962)
1963 - The Instructional Television Fixed Service (ITFS) is created as a result of a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) resolution reserving selected transmission frequencies to be licensed to local credit-granting institutions for educational purposes. - ITFS provides low-cost, limited (20-35 mile range) distribution of broadcast courses. The first university to apply for ITFS licensing was the California State University (CSU) System.
1964 - Television provided the impetus for the next generation in distance education courses. - Color television in U.S. homes for the first time.- The Carnegie Corporation funds the Articulated Instructional Media (AIM) Project to explore using various communication media (e.g., radio, television, study guides, audiotapes, etc.) for teaching off-campus students
- Inspired by demand for a mechanism for disseminating information about media research, the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) is created. (Saettler, 1990)1664 – 1965 Approximately 36 ½ million enrollments are reported in telecourses in 1,223 school systems nationally. (McKune, 1966)
1965 – FCC expands its allocation of educational channels from 242 to 632. (Truby, 1968)- The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 expands federal funding of ETV research- The University of Wisconsin begins a statewide telephone-based distance education program for physicians.
1966 – May 31st: The first live intercontinental television classroom exchange occurs as a French language class in Wisconsin meets live via satellite with an English language class in Paris, France. (Dreyfus and Gumpert, 1966)- Xerox invents the Telecopier – the first successful fax machine.- CATV, an early version of cable, becomes available in some areas. (Murphy and Gross, 1966)- In response to the limited distribution abilities of National Education Television, the Ford Foundation gives $10 million to develop an interconnected Public Broadcast Laboratory. (Saettler, 1990)
1967 - President Lyndon Johnson signs the Public Broadcasting Act authorizing the creation of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to promote non-commercial use of television and radio. - CPB's primary purposes included developing high quality programs, establishing a system of national interconnection to distribute the programs, and strengthening and supporting local public TV and radio stations.
1968 - At this point, the average ETV station spends $500,000 annually and broadcasts between 10 and 13 hours daily. - Typically, programming falls into 4 categories: General education; Adult education for formal credit; "School of the air" programs for direct home instruction; and Public relations programming for information and enrichment. (Truby, 1968)- The NationalCenter for College and School Television becomes the NationalInstructionalTelevisionCenter; it would become self-supporting in 1970. (U. Md. web site)- The Children's Television Workshop (CTW) is formed to produce Sesame Street, The Electric Company, and other educational programs. (Saettler, 1990)
1969 - The British Open University is established as a fully autonomous, degree-granting institution. It is built upon the findings of a committee that examined the University of Wisconsin's Articulated Instructional Media (AIM) Project.- The basic open university system utilizes television courses rigorously developed by a team of content specialists and instructional designers. However, the British Open University stresses the comprehensiveness of a delivery system more than the use of television. Courses are supplemented by study guides, textbooks, other learning resources and various interactive opportunities.- The British Open University has broken traditional barriers to education by allowing any student to enroll regardless of previous educational background or experience. It currently has more than 200,000 students and has enrolled more than 2 million people. It is recognized throughout the world as a prototype for current day non-traditional learning.- In January of 1969, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) negotiated with AT&T to interconnect 140 stations, creating the first true national public television system. This system became permanent in November 1969 with the establishment of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). - November 10, 1969 the first broadcast of Sesame Street premieres.- ARPANET – the first Internet started. The precursor to the Internet, ARPANET was a large wide-area network created by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (ARPA), which served as a testbed for new networking technologies, linking may universities and research centers. (Definition from www.webopedia.com)- The establishment of National Public Radio (NPR) in 1970 ensured equal interconnection between public radio stations.
Citations: Distance Learning at CPCC. A History of Distance Learning. Retrieved January 25, 2007 from http://virtual.cpcc.edu/support/faq/details.asp?faq=whatdistancelearning
Baker’s Guide Christian Distance Education. Distance Education Timeline. Retrieved January 25, 2007 from http://www.bakersguide.com/Distance_Education_Timeline/
A 20th Century Timeline: Classroom Use of Instructional Film, Radio, & Television. 1960’s Major Trends of the Decade. Retrieved January 27, 2007 from http://mlmiller.myweb.uga.edu/timeline/
About: Inventors. The History of Communication. Retrieved January 27, 2007 from http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bl_history_of_communication.htm
With media and technology evolving in the 1960's, changes were being made to distance education. Instead of relying on the postal system to deliver instructional materials, course information could be delivered via radio and television. Using multiple media combined with an administrative backbone to support the education, open universities were enrolling students.This era really could have been broken out into two sections 1960-1964 and 1965-1970, because there was much more going on than I expected...especially toward the end of the decade.
The technology development highlights of the 60’s effecting Distance Education I found most interesting are referenced below:
1962 – The Educational Television Facilities Act allocates $32 million in federal matching funds for construction of educational television stations. (Encyclopedia of Television)
- The Agency for Instructional Television is formed. (AIT website)- Wilbur Schramm of Stanford’s Institute for Communication Research publishes the results of a study of ITV, stating that “there can no longer be any doubt that students learn efficiently from instructional television.” (Schramm, 1962)
1963 - The Instructional Television Fixed Service (ITFS) is created as a result of a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) resolution reserving selected transmission frequencies to be licensed to local credit-granting institutions for educational purposes. - ITFS provides low-cost, limited (20-35 mile range) distribution of broadcast courses. The first university to apply for ITFS licensing was the California State University (CSU) System.
1964 - Television provided the impetus for the next generation in distance education courses. - Color television in U.S. homes for the first time.- The Carnegie Corporation funds the Articulated Instructional Media (AIM) Project to explore using various communication media (e.g., radio, television, study guides, audiotapes, etc.) for teaching off-campus students
- Inspired by demand for a mechanism for disseminating information about media research, the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) is created. (Saettler, 1990)1664 – 1965 Approximately 36 ½ million enrollments are reported in telecourses in 1,223 school systems nationally. (McKune, 1966)
1965 – FCC expands its allocation of educational channels from 242 to 632. (Truby, 1968)- The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 expands federal funding of ETV research- The University of Wisconsin begins a statewide telephone-based distance education program for physicians.
1966 – May 31st: The first live intercontinental television classroom exchange occurs as a French language class in Wisconsin meets live via satellite with an English language class in Paris, France. (Dreyfus and Gumpert, 1966)- Xerox invents the Telecopier – the first successful fax machine.- CATV, an early version of cable, becomes available in some areas. (Murphy and Gross, 1966)- In response to the limited distribution abilities of National Education Television, the Ford Foundation gives $10 million to develop an interconnected Public Broadcast Laboratory. (Saettler, 1990)
1967 - President Lyndon Johnson signs the Public Broadcasting Act authorizing the creation of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to promote non-commercial use of television and radio. - CPB's primary purposes included developing high quality programs, establishing a system of national interconnection to distribute the programs, and strengthening and supporting local public TV and radio stations.
1968 - At this point, the average ETV station spends $500,000 annually and broadcasts between 10 and 13 hours daily. - Typically, programming falls into 4 categories: General education; Adult education for formal credit; "School of the air" programs for direct home instruction; and Public relations programming for information and enrichment. (Truby, 1968)- The NationalCenter for College and School Television becomes the NationalInstructionalTelevisionCenter; it would become self-supporting in 1970. (U. Md. web site)- The Children's Television Workshop (CTW) is formed to produce Sesame Street, The Electric Company, and other educational programs. (Saettler, 1990)
1969 - The British Open University is established as a fully autonomous, degree-granting institution. It is built upon the findings of a committee that examined the University of Wisconsin's Articulated Instructional Media (AIM) Project.- The basic open university system utilizes television courses rigorously developed by a team of content specialists and instructional designers. However, the British Open University stresses the comprehensiveness of a delivery system more than the use of television. Courses are supplemented by study guides, textbooks, other learning resources and various interactive opportunities.- The British Open University has broken traditional barriers to education by allowing any student to enroll regardless of previous educational background or experience. It currently has more than 200,000 students and has enrolled more than 2 million people. It is recognized throughout the world as a prototype for current day non-traditional learning.- In January of 1969, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) negotiated with AT&T to interconnect 140 stations, creating the first true national public television system. This system became permanent in November 1969 with the establishment of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). - November 10, 1969 the first broadcast of Sesame Street premieres.- ARPANET – the first Internet started. The precursor to the Internet, ARPANET was a large wide-area network created by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (ARPA), which served as a testbed for new networking technologies, linking may universities and research centers. (Definition from www.webopedia.com)- The establishment of National Public Radio (NPR) in 1970 ensured equal interconnection between public radio stations.
Citations: Distance Learning at CPCC. A History of Distance Learning. Retrieved January 25, 2007 from http://virtual.cpcc.edu/support/faq/details.asp?faq=whatdistancelearning
Baker’s Guide Christian Distance Education. Distance Education Timeline. Retrieved January 25, 2007 from http://www.bakersguide.com/Distance_Education_Timeline/
A 20th Century Timeline: Classroom Use of Instructional Film, Radio, & Television. 1960’s Major Trends of the Decade. Retrieved January 27, 2007 from http://mlmiller.myweb.uga.edu/timeline/
About: Inventors. The History of Communication. Retrieved January 27, 2007 from http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bl_history_of_communication.htm
Comments:
DistEd (January 29, 2007. 04:34pm)
I chose this era because I was intrigued by Otto Peters characterization of distance education as "A method of imparting knowledge, skills and attitudes which is rationalized by the application of division of labor and organizational principles as well as by the extensive use of technical media, especially for the purpose of reproducing high quality teaching material which makes it possible to instruct great numbers of students at the same time wherever they live." Better know for coining the term "Industrial Model" comparing the instruction of individuals as "instructional units or products which can be mass produced and distributed like cars or washing machines". At first I found this a bit offensive, especially when I found in further reading that Peter's theory was not a theory of teaching, nor learning...but it was an "organizational model that talked about orgainizing the educational process to realize economies of scale". Once I researched the events in technology & DE during the 60's, I realized that I should not take the reference to "washing machines" or treating the DE process more like a business personally ;o)
The technological advances in the 60's appear to follow suit with the Industrial Model, the goal to reach as many "units" as possible w/economies of scale. The beginning of the era was marked by increased funding for educational television, forming AIT, and ITFS which led to the broadcast of at least a 25-30 mile range. In 1964-1965 the AIM project research and increased enrollment in telecourses lead me to believe the advancement of technology had a significant effect on DE in the first 5 years of the era.
1966 was marked by the first intercontinental classroom connection & and early version of cable (one of my favorite items), along with increased funding for research. 1967 and 1968 saw further advancement with the creation of CTB & CTW, both focused on the creation of quality educational programming. The close of the era included The British Open University (which was build upon findings of the AIM project), and CPBs negotiation with AT&T to establish PBS in 1969. Sesame Street Premiers! The first Internet is formed! Based on the succession of event in the 60's, it appears DE and technology/research are dependent upon each other. The events from the first 5 years were improved upon with advancements in the late 60's. I was actually surprised to see how much ocurred within the 10 year span!
McIsaac, M.S. & Gunawardena, C.N. (2004). Distance Education. In D.H. Jonassen, ed. Handbook of research for educational communications and technology, Second Edition: a project of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology. 355-396. New York : Simon & Schuster Macmillan. Retrieved January 29,2007, from http://www.aect.org/edtech/14.pdf