Effective Coaching Through Webinar-Integrated Tools: A Research-Based Chapter for Promoting Active Learning in Blended Environments

Historical Perspective Of Distance Education, E-Learning, Blended Learning And Online Learning

Chronologically, it has been observed that distance education term occurred first. Distance education has been the basis for different kinds of learning forms as e-learning, web based learning, online learning, virtual learning and blended learning (Usluel and Mazman, 2009). Distance education has been evolving since the 18^th century and its progression over the 300 years run parallel with innovations in ICTs (Kentnor, 2015). The rapid growth of distance education begun in the late 1990’s with the advance on online technical revolution. Deb (2011) emphasizes that distance education in developing countries has been available for the last few decades but very much in vogue in developed countries. Distance education has the following conceptualizations: individualization and flexibility (different types of courses and flexible content), students’ autonomy (the participant is able to master the material without direct help of the instructor), variety of media (the material can be delivered through text, audio and video wherein the latter takes a major focus of this chapter) and student support (key because the student is not removed from the traditional learning environment). Indeed, this term was not originally connected to sophisticated technology and the next traces its evolutionary phases.