3 Interesting Facts

I enjoyed reading about the evolution of distance learning. Three interesting points I picked up are:

Radio
I had never heard of educational radio until I read this article. When I hear the term "radio", the Norman Rockwell-like image of - a family huddled around the radio for entertainment purposes.

Television
Information delivered via TV and face-to-face instruction have the same retention rate among learners and over 300 observations indicate that no statistically significant difference in learning achievement. Previous COMET instructor's communication that "the media is not as important as the message" is reinforced in this article.

K-12 Virtual Schools
I am surprised to learn of the large number of k-12 online schools operating today. I've taught students in five districts in two different states yet cannot recall a single conversation with my colleagues about virtual schools.