| Are you looking to help those who are unable to go | | | | having it delivered to you. The most obvious choice is |
| to school due to a physical disability or are you a | | | | for you to do what is called virtual classrooms which |
| student who is unable to go to school? You should | | | | is where you watch the lesson on your laptop over a |
| look into distance education or distance learning. | | | | live webcam feed. You can also order DVDs and VHS |
| What is distance education though? Distance | | | | tapes or just order books or other written print and |
| education is a field of education that uses technology | | | | read them. |
| and instructional systems to educate students who | | | | There is a difference between open learning and |
| are not physically able to receive their education. | | | | distance learning, but what is it? Open learning is |
| Instead of the student who is unable to attend a | | | | when the student is allowed to choose the time and |
| class either buys the video of a teacher teaching a | | | | place he/she wants to learn. Distance learning is when |
| subject or, more popular today, the student watches | | | | the student and teacher are unable to meet at the |
| the teacher over a webcam. | | | | same time. This is important because not all open |
| Now that you know what distance education is, | | | | learning schools use distance learning and not all |
| when did it start? | | | | schools that use distance education are open learning |
| The oldest university to use distance education would | | | | schools. |
| have to be the University of South Africa which has | | | | Distance education is definitely on the rise as many |
| been offering distance education since 1946. It has | | | | more schools are beginning to use virtual classrooms |
| been available since the 1840s in Great Britain though. | | | | and provide more options for the disabled and those |
| The early forms of distance education would use a | | | | who are unable to attend classes. If you are thinking |
| commercial correspondence to deliver the piece of | | | | about becoming a distance education teacher you |
| education to the student. Many colleges in America | | | | should consider it. You will be able to choose the time |
| use distance education today, although any student | | | | you want to record a lesson and just send it to your |
| can receive it, not just the disabled. Many students | | | | students to watch at the time they want. |
| have at least one internet class a semester which is | | | | Distance education is a great thing because it allows |
| where you stay at your house and watch the | | | | many students who were originally unable to attend |
| teacher teach over a live webcam feed. | | | | school to do so and it also allows teachers the |
| If you are going to do distance education it is | | | | chance to teach more students then they would |
| important for you to know the options you have on | | | | originally be able to teach. |