Journal of Online Learning Research and Practice Volume 8, Number 1, 2020/1 | Page 29

Historical Review of Distance and Online Education from 1700s to 2021 in the United States

2008 ; Garrison , 2009 ; Garrison , Archer , & Anderson , 2003 ) with its focus on teaching , cognitive , and social presence ” ( p . 80 ). From a historical perspective , Anderson and Dron ( 2011 ) described the predominate technologies employed for delivery with each generation : the first generation of distance education technology was postal correspondence ; the second generation was mass media of television , radio , and film production ; and the third generation introduced interactive technologies with “ first audio , then text , video , and then web and immersive conferencing ” ( p . 81 ).

The cognitive-behaviorist pedagogical model focused on the teacher or the instructional designer , whereas response to the stimuli supported the acquisition of new behaviors or changes in behaviors ( Anderson & Dron , 2011 ). While this first generation highly supported individualized learning , there was “ an almost total absence of social presence ” ( p . 83 ). The social constructivist pedagogical model shifted , with the teacher viewed more as a guide and less as a “ sage on the stage .” During this second generation , social interaction became a critical component of distance education . Learners and teachers using educational content they had collaboratively created and recreated provided the basis for the connectivist pedagogical model ( Anderson & Dron , 2011 ). During this third generation , social presence and social capital became a central part of distance education . These three generations provide a historical foundation for distance education pedagogy ( see Table 4 ).

Table 4 . Three Generations of Distance Education Pedagogy , ( Anderson & Dron , 2011 , p . 92 )

In the chapter “ Theoretical Underpinnings of Learning Design ” in Learning Design : Conceptualizing a Framework for Teaching and Learning Online , Canole ( 2015 ) further examines learning theories and pedagogy . Building upon the work of Mayes and de Freitas ( 2004 ), Canole ( 2015 ) introduced four perspectives to learning design and suggested adding four elements :

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