| In the area of offering direct education online, | | | | * They are designed to teach adults. Adult education |
| Thomson Direct was an early pioneer. Founded by | | | | is different than traditional education. Direct education |
| Thomas J. Foster in 1890-long before online education | | | | online classes are formatted differently than |
| was possible-Thomson started by providing home | | | | traditional classes. Classes are taught the way adults |
| learning programs for coal miners. By completing the | | | | learn best. |
| lessons at home in their off-work hours, men could | | | | * They are career-oriented. These are not personal |
| learn the engineering and management principles to | | | | interest classes. These schools offer classes to help |
| advance in their careers. Many mining superintendents | | | | adults advance in their careers. Career-oriented |
| and foremen owed their positions to distance learning | | | | classes could lead to a college degree, or they could |
| from Thomson. Since then, over 13 million students | | | | be continuing education classes, professional |
| have used Thomson distance learning for career | | | | certification classes or skill-building classes. Working |
| advancement. | | | | adults sometimes need formal college education, and |
| Today, Thomson Direct has become PennFoster | | | | sometimes they need job-specific training. |
| Career School, an international career education | | | | When you're looking for direct education online, |
| provider. PennFoster, Phoenix University and Kaplan | | | | Thomson and its descendents are good choices. One |
| University are three examples of schools that | | | | way to tell if you have found a good provider of |
| specialize in direct education online. | | | | adult education is to check to see if the school is |
| Many schools offer distance learning, direct education | | | | accredited, and who provides the accreditation it. If |
| or online classes. For most colleges and universities, | | | | the school offers high school classes, it should be |
| distance learning is an add-on to their traditional | | | | accredited to provide high school classes. If it |
| programs. Their primary mission evolves out of | | | | provides college classes, it should be accredited by a |
| traditional brick-and-mortar education. | | | | college accreditation organization. Other accreditations |
| A few schools, however, exist to provide direct | | | | that a direct education online provider might have are |
| education to adults. They are unique because: | | | | accreditation as a distance learning provider or |
| * They do not provide traditional classes. They only | | | | continuing education provider accreditation. |
| provide education through distance learning formats. | | | | |