UConn Firsts: The First Online Classes
Although UConn had technically been online for several years – uconn.edu was registered all the way back in 1987 – September 1994 saw the beginning of what has become a daily part of the college experience for students in the 21st century: online classes. At the time, though, the idea of doing coursework on “the World Wide Web” was pretty bold – and not everyone was eager to take part. “I feel very strongly that courses in the humanities don’t belong on the Internet,” one first-year student said then. Misgivings aside, within a year of the first trial, the number of online classes had jumped from 3 to 55, although at the time, “online” was a relative term: the classes were all held in computer labs, since most students in those days didn’t have personal computers. Today, nearly every class includes online components, and plenty take place entirely in cyberspace, along with more than 50 degree and certificate programs offered online.
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