History

Blended learning as we know it today may seem like a new trend in education, but actually it’s the result of an evolutionary process spanning two centuries. This history helped to shape blended learning as an educational program while establishing its key principles. According to Pappas (2018), this history can be subdivided into 6 distinct periods:

PERIOD 1 - First Distance Course

Most scholars agree that blended learning as we know it today can be traced back to the first distance or “correspondence” courses offered during the mid-1800s. Sir Isaac Pitman developed a vocational shorthand training program in which he “…sent shorthand texts to his students via mailed postcards and they were required to send them back to be graded and corrected. Even though computers and mobile devices weren’t involved, and wouldn’t even be invented for roughly a century, effective feedback and assessments were still an integral part of the process” (Pappas, 2018). Wooten (2013) states that college-level correspondence courses soon followed that included courses at Illinois Wesleyan University and the University of Chicago. Overtime popularity grew and by the early twentieth century, programs were offered by universities in nineteen states. The 1920s were considered the height of correspondence course popularity with an estimated enrollment of 0.5 million students. (p. 41)

PERIOD 2 - The Development of Modern Computing and Mainframe Computer-based Training

The modern computer age began in the 1940s and 50s with the development of computer hardware and maintenance systems. As a result, the end of this period saw large numbers of computers being manufactured and installed in universities and large corporations for a variety of uses. With this technology available, computers became a resource to train large numbers of individuals efficiently without the necessity of face-to-face instruction and large amounts of printed materials. (Gupta, 2007, p. 40). This trend continued through the 1970s solidifying the use of technology as a valid educational tool.

PERIOD 3 - TV-based Technology to Support Live Training

As the use of video-based technologies increased through the 70’s and 80’s, companies began incorporating these tools into training programs. This meant that trainers no longer had to be physically present with trainees and that a wider range of interactive training opportunities were available. This advancement played a key role in the evolution of blended learning providing the groundwork for future webinar and video conferencing technology. Pappas (2018) sites Stanford University’s satellite-based program as one of the most successful of its kind during the 1970’s and 80’s. The Stanford University Interactive TV network allowed professors to hold classes in multiple locations simultaneously across the San Francisco area. This network is still operating today.

PERIOD 4 - CD Rom Training and Learning Management Systems (LMS)

CD ROM technology took center-stage in the 1980s. This included the creation of compact disc – interactive (CD-I) software. Introduced at Microsoft’s First International Conference on CD ROM in 1986, CD-I offered multimedia utilities launched from a single platform (Rosen, 1986, p. 16). CD-I allowed schools and organizations to deliver interactive learning experiences that included sound and video with adaptive capabilities giving users a more individualized experience. This period also saw the development of Learning Management Systems (LMS). “Organizations wanted to be able to track learner progress and improve online training courses, and these systems helped to monitor eLearning course completion, enrollment data, and user performance within the CD-ROM network” (Pappas, 2018)

PERIOD 5 - First Generation Web-based Instruction

Modern computing took a huge evolutionary leap at the beginning of the twenty-first century as computers became readily available to the public, and internet connections drew them closer together. PCs replaced large, stand-alone computers within organizations and became a common electronic device within the home. CD ROMs became obsolete; replaced by information uploaded directly to the web. Information and eLearning tools were accessible with the click of a button meaning that distance learning could happen in real time between large numbers of individuals. First developed in the late 1990s, virtual schools saw rapid development during time. Virtual or “web-based” schools were established by the education sector offering distance learning options for both private and public school students.

PERIOD 6 - Blended Learning Integration

Over the past twenty years, web-based learning has continued to evolve with new technology, research and adapting educational methodology. As a delivery model, online learning offers benefits such as flexibility of scheduling and location but also presents challenges for learners including motivation, support and isolation. To combat these challenges, a newer, blended learning option has developed; one that provides the flexibility of online learning with a face-to-face delivery model. Blended learning provides opportunity to engage socially, promote project-based learning and increase learning supports while still allowing for scheduling flexibility and learner independence. For instruction to be considered blended learning it must be an integrated learning experience that is delivered in both an online format and a supervised brick-and-mortar location. According to Maxwell (2016), blended learning has been recognized as a delivery model since at least 2007.