Distance learning continues to change and evolve as it has for many decades and even centuries. Simpson claims that it dates back as far as Moses with the Ten Commandments and that “St. Paul’s epistles represent a very early form of distance education (Simpson, 2012).” Nasseh discusses the brief history of distance education in the United States from the early 19th century through the late 20th century. (Nasseh, 1997) We are now in the earliest of the 21st century and the definition is continuing to evolve at a frenetic pace. This is in large part due to the evolution of technology in education and knowledge sectors. This technological evolution does not show any signs of slowing down anytime soon either. We are really still in the infancy of what distance, now often called online, learning will eventually look like to students, instructors, educational institutions, countries and even the world. My prediction is that the biggest changes will occur when computer AI (artificial intelligence) is fully implemented into education and training. I have seen some remarkable projects still in their infancy using AI that would have a profound effect on learning and how we teach. It has the potential to meet each student where they stand in any subject, teaching the way they learn best, and re-teaching when mastery is not reached or when needing refreshment of skills or new knowledge in a particular subject. This will continue to drive the change in the definition of distance learning in the future.
