Abstract

Distance Education is defined as a planned teaching/learning experience that uses a wide spectrum of technologies to reach learners at a distance and it is designed to teach students who do not have easy access to a traditional classroom. With this kind of technology one can teach to a remote site such as a rural area or it can make corporate training more economical.
With the advent of the new technologies distance learning is a convenient rather than a necessary learning tool. The tools that can be used are: videotape recorders, computers, telephones, videoconferencing, faxes, etc. Schools using distant education include K-12, high schools, colleges and graduate schools. The different forms of distance education are: a. Synchronous -- where students get lessons in real-time, as it happens. b. Asynchronous -- where lessons are stored for later study. Asynchronous has the potential to be used 24 hours a day. There are several benefits to asynchronous education such as: a) Ability to see and replay class presentation on demand b) On-line record of all class presentations, readings, discussions c) On-line submissions, examinations and grade reporting Many schools are using distant education such as National-Louis University, Walden University and hundreds of others listed in Bear's Guide to Earning College degrees non- traditionally, and Thorson's Campus-Free College Degrees, listed in the bibliography.

In this thesis we will see how New York University, Knowledge Systems Institute and Wayne State University have used distance learning.