When we talk about the history of remote learning, the long-term shift in how people access education without being physically present in a classroom. Also known as distance learning, it’s not just Zoom calls and LMS platforms—it’s a story that stretches back over 150 years. The first real remote learning course wasn’t online at all. In 1840, Isaac Pitman mailed shorthand lessons to students across England using the postal system. Students sent back their written work by mail, and Pitman graded it and returned it. That’s the origin of feedback loops in education—long before Google Classroom existed.
Fast forward to the 1970s and 80s, and you see radio and TV broadcasts used to teach school subjects in rural areas. Then came cassette tapes, VHS, and eventually, the internet. The real game-changer? asynchronous learning, a model where students learn at their own pace without needing to be online at the same time. It’s why you can watch a lecture at 2 a.m. and submit an assignment the next day. This isn’t just convenient—it’s essential for working adults, parents, and people in different time zones. The rise of MOOCs in the 2010s, like those from Coursera and edX, proved millions would learn this way if given the chance. And then came the pandemic. Overnight, schools and universities had to go remote. What was once a niche option became the default. But here’s the thing: it didn’t just stick because of necessity. It stuck because it works.
Today, the history of remote learning, the long-term shift in how people access education without being physically present in a classroom. Also known as distance learning, it’s a story that stretches back over 150 years. isn’t just about technology. It’s about how people learn. Adults don’t want to sit through 90-minute lectures. They want to learn in chunks, on their phones, during lunch breaks. That’s why the most popular online courses now are short, practical, and self-paced. You’ll find posts here that break down how adult learners succeed with flexible models, why asynchronous learning dominates modern education, and how today’s tools build on lessons from the past. Whether you’re a student, a teacher, or just curious about how we got here, the patterns are clear: remote learning didn’t appear out of nowhere. It was built, one postal letter, one radio broadcast, one video module at a time. And it’s still changing.
Distance learning didn't start with the internet. It began in 1840 with mailed lessons and grew through radio, TV, and online platforms. Here's how it became a global education standard.
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