Distance Learning in the words of my students is learning at a distance. Of course this is the obvious definition but when I talk to them about technology, I get obvious answers. I guess I should expect that from seventh and eighth graders who are farther up on the technology pole than I am.

I define distance learning as mobile learning community. Mobile because it doesn't matter where a person is as long as they are connected to the internet they can access the online community of learners.

This has not always been my thought, as my first course was semi-distance learning. It was an course on astronomy. All quizzes were online but it was a classroom course. To me, I thought that was distance learning and it was easy. As my courses continue, I took microeconomics online and realized that not all courses are the same. The entire course was online and the professor set up times when the entire class had to be online. It didn't work well and was hard due to students in different time zones.

My master's degree courses were quite different than my bachelor's as my online courses were a more comfortable setting. Most of the individuals in my course were working parents that didn't have time to set up a video meeting until later at night or a weekend. Many were willing to learn but also were open to suggestions. This was more of a learning community.

After this week, the idea or use of distance learning has changed so much over time. To think at one time distance learning was by mail baffles me. I can't imagine mailing my assignments and waiting weeks to know my grade. Sherry mentions in her blog, her past experience with this and the piles of binders and books she still has. (Gallant 2012).  To think it has come from mail to having the United States Distance Learning Association with the motto of "the history and future of learning" (USDLA 2010).  The USDLA is an association that focus on so many types of learning and has chapters across the nation.  

I automatically thought distance learning was strictly used by school systems. My mind didn't branch out to businesses for training or for intercommunication. Today distance learning can be working on documents across the country, or training for all employees at the same time for all facilities. 

There are so many benefits of distance learning especially with changing society today. Bullying is becoming a problem as well as over crowded classrooms. Huett, Moller Foshay, and Coleman discuss how school systems are using distance learning to reach students in areas where there are teacher shortages and over crowded classrooms. (Huett, Moller, Foshay & Coleman 2008). Although in many states there is an overabundance of teachers the over crowding is still happening.

The future of distance learning is incredible. There could be a time when students will almost completely learn from home. The face to face interaction could be video messaging or video classrooms. There are many opportunities for students to be able to have to sign on when a class starts and not be sitting in the classroom with their bullies.

Gallant, Sherry (January 4, 2012) Retrieved from :http://sherrygallant.wordpress.com/blog/


Huett, J., Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Coleman, C. (2008). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 3: K12).TechTrends, 52(5), 63–67.


USDLA (2010) United States Distance Learning Association. Retrieved from http://www.usdla.org/