The concept of “Long Distance Learning” is nothing new. All those who love watching old TV shows from the 50′s to the 70′s will usually come upon a comedy where one of the characters got a “degree” from some highly suspect-sounding institute of higher learning.

Actually, the business was quite legitimate. Back in 1958, the University of Wisconsin offered over 450 different courses, teaching 12,000 students annually, all done through the mail. Like modern online schools, it was a great way for working people, many then on the GI Bill, to improve their economic position.

It was the ARPA and its greatest creation, the Internet, which pushed colleges online. The net was created to pass information from one point to another, at the speed of light. The first organizations to jump on board, in fact did most of the primary research, were universities. Many of these institutes of higher learning had long distance learning wings. With the advent of the personal computer back in the early 80s, it didn’t take these ivory tower rocket scientists much to put it all together.

Move on into the 21st Century, and an online degree is becoming quite common, not the source of comedy routines. Reports show 67% of the students are women, primarily working mothers. Another growing sector are active military personnel, who want to continue their education while serving their country.

Where there were once only a handful of school, the number of accredited institutions has expanded to approximately 250. Some of the best material is now provided from the most amazing sources, such as the former member of Monty Python, John Cleese and his Video Arts studio.

Looking over the benefits it’s hard not to see why the number of students currently is in the tens of thousands. One can access many of the finest libraries in the world from the comfort of one’s home. Text books are online and constantly being updated and don’t wind up useless in two or three years. There can even be real-time communication between student and teacher. The Federal and state governments, as well as many other organizations have recognized online education since the 90s, and will even provide financial aid for needy students.