"The history of distance education in Canada is interwoven with the invention of new communications technologies, the expansion of education, particularly adult education, and the commitment of individual Canadians who had a vision that communications technologies could extend learning opportunities and promote the full participation of all Canadians in the economic, social, and civic life of the nation. In such a large and diverse country, it is not surprising that communications have played a significant role. Nor is it surprising that our governments have recognized the potential of communications technologies and have been instrumental in their development and application. Similarly, it is no surprise that partnerships have been a cornerstone in the provision of distance education". (Rogers,1993)

George Lorenzo (2oo4) makes special mention of a report written for the World Bank titled "The Evolution of Distance Education in Canada," authored by Athabasca University’s Director of Strategic Development Elizabeth Mitchell. From this article Loenzo (2004) highlights; "open learning’s goal was to provide students who had traditionally encountered barriers to participation in the existing educational system with an opportunity to further their studies. The goals of open learning were increased learner access, choice, flexibility and convenience. Distance education was the delivery method of choice for these institutions."

It is estimated that each year at least half a million people in Canada study through distance education from those unable to attend an institution, such as students confined to hospitals and persons with disabilities, to those who choose to or for whom it is necessary to study independently, eg, working adults. Programs and courses are available from primary schooling to post-secondary education, with many more offerings that are noncredit. Across Canada, over 65% of colleges offer at least one distance education course with over 60 000 students enrolled. Over 35 universities offer distance education programs. Many government departments and over 35% of large companies in Canada are already using some form of distance education. Commercial suppliers as well as industrial, trade and professional organizations are also providing distance learning courses and resources.

1827 - Mechanics' Institution was established in Toronto, Halifax and Montreal. 311 institutes were develop by the 1890s. The institutes served to upgrade workers in the technical arts.

1889 - Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, offered its first correspondence courses in 1889. In areas without mail service, the North West Mounted Police delivered material for these courses.

In 1901 Alfred Fitspatrick established what was to become Frontier College. The college offeredoffered classes at rural lumber and railway camps. At it peak operation in 1913 it over 600 instructor serving in every province. (Spencer1998, p. 32)

In 1907, the University of Saskatchewan presented off-campus courses with such titles as " Better Farming," " Home maker Short Courses," " Canadian Youth Vocational Training Workshops."

1920 - The University of Alberta began offering distance education in 1920.

From 1950 to 1973, the extension department at the University of British Columbia offered a correspondence program developed and managed by the Faculty of Arts.

In 1941 – 1965 the CBC, the Canadian Association for Adult Education and the Federation of Agriculture together initiated Farm Radio Forum, which included broadcasts and materials for living room study groups.

In 1967, Memorial University's Extension Service organized and maintained a learning process entitled FOGO, named after Fogo Island and based on community use of videotaping local experiences. Over a short time, it became a valuable tool for rural and semi-rural community development in Newfoundland.
In 1969, Memorial University's Extension Service expanded its course offerings because ninety-nine per cent of its courses addressed teachers as the major group of students. Each off-campus centre with at least fifteen students registered had a part-time local co-ordinator. They acted as registrars, collectors of fees, comptrollers, librarians, bookstore managers and liaisons between instructors and students. The program at Memorial U, which initially was famous for the use of slow scan video to provide a consulting service to doctors in remote communities, eventually led to the development of an extensive number of audio-conferencing and more recently video-conferencing sites throughout the island.

In 1968, the University of Waterloo Correspondence Programme began and its mandate was limited to degree courses listed in the University of Waterloo calendar. In fact, the Correspondence Programme was controlled like a regular faculty, extending from instructor to department, faculty and university senate. Students wishing to enroll in correspondence courses had to need the same admission requirements as students applying to the University of Waterloo. The University of Waterloo distance education structure, in ten years, had grown to be the largest university-level correspondence programme in Canada.
U of Waterloo's program grew out of the needs of co-op students on worksite placements in remote locations who wanted to complete their option courses. This led to a distance education format of a set of audiotaped lectures and accompanying text and assignments which became U of Waterloo's main mode of operation. Today, the U of Waterloo offers over 270 distance education courses and has 10 000 registrants.

1970 - A major development in Canadian distance education occurred in 1970 with the establishment of Alberta's Athabasca University. Athabasca University received a mandate from the provincial government which redefined its operational model by allowing students to enter and withdraw from the university at any time and by establishing a policy of self-pacing and self-directed study. Not only did it receive full autonomy to operate within its own territorial jurisdiction in non-traditional education, but in 1972 an Alberta order-in-council granted it permanent status as an undergraduate degree-granting institution. Athabasca U, modelled on the British Open University, used tutors extensively but otherwise relied on print. Today over 30, 000 students are registered and the university now includes other media in its course materials including computer conferencing.

In 1973, the Alberta Educational Communications Corporation was established to provide delivery technologies such as satellite transmission, digitalization, teletext, videodisc multiplexing, videotaping and radio transmission.

Other telecommunications authorities, Radio-Québec, the Saskatchewan Communications Network, Northern Canada Television and ACCESS Alberta use broadcast television and, in some cases, other technologies to provide educational programming for learners of all ages.

In 1972 , Télé-université was established in Quebec to offer university credit and noncredit courses. Today, the enrolment is more than 15 000 students.

Other networks have since been established in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Manitoba, the Franco-Ontarian Network in Ontario, CANAL in Quebec and SCN. These vary in infrastructure from the use of satellite or microwave to broadcast video programming in Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the use of telephone lines for audio, audiographic and video-conferencing in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. All of the networks have adopted a flexible approach to technology that is consistent with learner needs and financial resources.

In 1974, the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) created distance education programs that provided forestry, business, health and engineering courses. Of greater relevance to the history of Canadian distance education was BCIT's landmark involvement in the Hermes satellite experiment.

In 1974, Brandon University Northern Teacher Education Programme (BUNTEP) deliver post secondary services to people in the isolated northern communities, and develop innovative techniques for delivery services in the north.

In 1974, the Ontario Educational Communications Authority (OECA) established a network of transmitters and named it TV Ontario. As a delivery support agency OECA played a very important role in Canadian distance education and it received its operating grants from the ministries of culture and recreation, education, and colleges and universities.

1978 - British Columbia established the Open Learning Institute in 1978 to provide college, adult basic and technical, career, vocational and university education to students throughout the province.

In 1975, the learning system in the North Island College in BC was established to be open with respect to place, time, and student entry and to provide self-paced mastery learning independent of instructor, campus and schedules.

In 1987 Contact North/Nord was set up by the Ontario government to facilitate access to all formal levels of education to northern Ontario residents. It does this through an audiographic network that serves numerous community learning centres.

Recent developments include the provision of distance education courses as an alternative to oversubscribed or unavailable on-campus classes; the expansion of independent learning opportunities both in educational institutions and workplaces; and the development of learning centres (sites where distance education opportunities can be accessed using a variety of telecommunications equipment). Learning centres in community centres, in large industries and in government institutions provide resources for workplace training, skills and professional upgrading, diploma, degree and certificate completion, as well as personal growth and interest. This development underlines the expansion of distance education and the diversification in learners and course offerings.

"Aboriginal peoples have also used communications technologies for community education and participation. For instance, the Cree and Ojibwa in northwestern Ontario used radio in the 1970s and 1980s to convey information and a sense of community to people living in small communities across a large area. In the north, the Indian Brotherhood of the Northwest Territories used radio for educational programs, while the Inuit Tapirisat established community radio stations to preserve the Inuit culture and language and to promote pride in their heritage. In 1992, Television Northern Canada was launched by six aboriginal broadcast groups, the government of the Northwest Territories, Yukon College, and the National Aboriginal Society to provide a range of programming to the peoples of the north". (Rogers 1993).

2000 - Canada is the administrative headquarters for the Commonwealth of Learning based in Vancouver, which organizes the sharing of distance education expertise and resources throughout the member nations of the Commonwealth.

Distance education has played an important role in the lives of Canadians for over a century - providing credit courses, professional development, training, general interest courses, and opportunities for community participation.

References:

Lorenzo, George. Distance Education in Canada, Educational Pathways 2, no. 2 (July/August, 2004): 3.

Mugridge, I., & Kaufman, D. (Eds.). (1986). Distance education in Canada. London: Croom Helm.

The Canadian Encyclopedia 2005 Historica Foundation of Canada Retrieved July 18, 2005 http://tceplus.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1SEC637159

Rogers, Kathleen (1993) Innovation, Risk-taking, and Collaboration: A Celebration and History of CADE/ACED and Distance Education in Canada Journal of Distance Education.

Selman, G., Selman, M., Cooke, M, & Dampier, P. (1998) The foundations of adult education in Canada, 2nd Ed. Toronto: Thompson Educational Publishing.

Spencer, B. (1998). The purposes of adult education: A guide for students. Toronto: Thompson Educational Publishing.