[asinclair]

Universities have experimented with ways to leverage their main talent. Almost 50 years ago, there were sections at University of Illinois that used televised lectures, with a teaching assistant to attempt to field questions. The only times that all the students at a given time were in a lecture hall was for mid-terms and finals.

Chemistry and Physics had labs, with several TV sections sharing a facility. Lots of fun.

I wasn't aware of TV sections for Women's Studies and such. There were TV sections for history, English, EASL, and other soft courses.

The Music department limited enrollment to the capacity of their classrooms and practice halls. (Hard limit on organist students.) Theater classes were held in a packed auditorium.

As for those top professors, they didn't teach, except when they took grad students under their wing. Their big thing was scoring large grants for their research.

[The Antiyuppie]

At my school, we had “distance learning” in the SEVENTIES. The video was transmitted one-way by microwave and interaction was done by phone.