World Distance Learning Day

31st of August is celebrated as World Distance Learning Day. It is dedicated to celebrating the process of learning outside of traditional classrooms. Whether it’s an online programme or a combination of in-classroom and at-home study, the additional flexibility, lower cost of learning and accessibility have benefited students across the world. This day is dedicated to raising awareness about online learning tools available to thousands of students and celebrating the future of online education!

What is World Distance Learning Day?

Distant learning (also known as distance education, e-learning, or online learning), is a form of education dissemination in which teachers and students are physically separated and various technologies are used to promote student-teacher and student-student communication. The internet, together with the resulting flood of high-quality online curriculum and courses, has totally altered traditional education techniques and birthed the popular distance learning movement. With that in mind, the 31st of August is a good day to be grateful for the remote learning possibilities and numerous tools we have at our fingertips.

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History & Significance

Learning resources haven’t always been as close as a few mouse clicks. Caleb Phillips promoted his lectures on a new form of shorthand in the Boston Gazette in 1728, with the courses to be sent out regularly by mail. In the 1840s, Sir Isaac Pitman took the concept a step further in England. He also taught shorthand by mail, where his students would send him a postcard with their own work, which he would correct and return to them. Pitman’s course grew in popularity, and the Phonographic Correspondence Society was formed to formalize the courses offered within a few years. This association led to the establishment of universities, and in 1873, the first correspondence school in the United States was established.

Universities began to provide remote learning alternatives, and Open University popularized the concept in the 1960s. Since its start, they have been at the forefront of creating new technology and teaching techniques, providing a legitimate alternative to traditional learning methods.

Distance learning was transformed by the internet, which made it simpler, quicker, and less expensive for students. Since 1984, when the first fully online course was introduced, both the materials accessible online and the number of students participating have grown at a rapid rate. Due to extensive school closures caused by the COVID-19 epidemic in 2020, more students than ever turned to remote learning.

World Distant Learning Day was created to increase awareness of the learning tools and opportunities accessible to students, as well as to celebrate how far distance education has progressed through time.

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World Distance Learning Day’s Timeline

• 1728: In the Boston Gazette, Caleb Phillips promotes a shorthand course.
• 1969: The Open University is established, and it is recognized for making significant contributions to distant learning approaches.
• 1984: The University of Toronto introduces the world’s first entirely online course.
• 2020: As a result of the COVID-19 epidemic, many schools throughout the world have been forced to close their doors and convert to online classrooms, resulting in a significant increase in the number of students using distance learning.

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How to Celebrate?

Start a New Course: Learn to code with Codecademy, learn a language with Duolingo, or look into other courses that interest you and, most importantly, get started!

Connect with Friends on an Online Learning Platform: When you’re surrounded by individuals who can teach you and with whom you can share your knowledge, you’re capable of a lot more. Join a peer-to-peer learning network like Brainly, which helps individuals all around the world get from inquiring to understanding and provides homework assistance to kids. Someone, somewhere, has an answer to every question that is asked.

Share your Experience: Make a blog post on your distant learning experience on this day. Sharing your experience with others may motivate more people to take up distance learning, whether it’s to propose a helpful tool to others or to discuss a course that you finished.

Why Online Learning is Fun!

Flexibility: You may usually create and keep to your own study schedule with distance learning. This allows you to adapt your learning requirements around your other obligations, resulting in a more enjoyable learning experience.

Gather Knowledge from Different Sources: What is possible with distant learning has changed thanks to the internet. After a few searches, you’ll notice that there are thousands of different websites and applications offering courses, classes, and learning tools.

Environment-friendly Approach: Distance-learning reduces not only paper and power use, but also carbon emissions associated with traveling to a physical classroom. Traditional face-to-face classes use 90 percent less energy and emit 85 percent fewer carbon emissions than distance learning programs.

Best Apps for Distance Learning

1. Brainly: The world’s largest online learning community may be found at Brainly. It’s essentially a homework assistance website that links students with professionals in their fields. This is the place to go if you’re having trouble with a particular aspect of your study.

2. Duolingo: Duolingo is a popular language learning software and website. Do you wish to learn a new language? This is the place to explore.

3. CodeAcademy: Millions of people have learned to code thanks to Codecademy. It’s an interactive online platform that provides free programming lessons in 12 different languages. This is the place to learn coding, which is a useful and in-demand talent.

4. OpenCulture: Open Culture is a website with a wealth of educational resources. Online courses, CDs, ebooks, and movies are all examples. It’s worthwhile to take a look around.

5. LinkedIn Learning: LinkedIn Learning, formerly known as Lynda, offers video courses delivered by industry professionals. You may join up for a free 30-day trial and then try to persuade your boss to pay for the membership.

Distance learning also provides a more diversified learning environment and experience. It allows one to engage with and learn from people from various cultures and backgrounds all around the world. We hope the information provided on World Distance Learning Day was helpful. Stay connected with Leverage Edu for educational content and exciting quizzes!