In the early ages, before formal schools, family members educated younger members with one-to-one coaching and mentoring. Early instructional technologies were sticks to draw on the ground and rocks to draw on walls. Information was not recorded permanently. With the invention of paper and the printing press, information was recorded, and learners could refer to documents as needed for learning. The paper revolution was followed much later by the invention of computer hardware and the software that makes computers do what we want, including developing electronic learning materials.
In the early 1960s, these learning materials were designed and developed on mainframe computers. In the 1970s, computer-based training systems used minicomputers to teach. With the invention of the microcomputer in the late 1970s and early 1980s educators and learners had more control over the design and delivery of learning materials. As learners determined for themselves what they wanted to learn, the instructor’s role changed from that of a presenter of information to that of a facilitator. The microcomputer revolutionized the way educational materials were developed and delivered. The instructor was able to design learning materials using authoring systems, and learners were able to learn when and where they wanted.
Rumble (2003) identified four generations of distance education systems: correspondence systems; educational broadcasting systems; multimedia distance education systems; and online distance education systems. In early distance education learning materials were mailed to learners and the learners mailed assignments back to the instructor. The first attempt to use computers for instruction was by the military, who designed instruction to train military staff. About the same time, educational institutions started to use broadcast television to deliver instruction to learners. With the invention of the microcomputer in the 1970s, there was a shift to microcomputer-based learning systems. Because the different microcomputer systems then in use did not communicate with each other, there was limited flexibility in developing and sharing learning materials. Also, the early microcomputer systems did not provide features such as audio, video, and special effects. As instructional technology improved, educators developed learning materials in less time and with more control over the product.
Until the late 1970s, educational institutions used face-to-face classroom instruction. This was followed by a shift to a more individualized format using self-study workbooks, videotapes, and computer software. As technology advanced, the group-based classroom mode shifted to the one-to-one mode of delivery. The combination of the Internet and mobile technology has moved elearning to the next generation, allowing educators to design and deliver learning materials for learners living in remote locations, or who cannot attend face-to-face schools for other reasons. The available computing power of these technologies allows educators to better meet the needs of individual learners.
