Abstract

The past decade shows a progressive growth of programs in virtual learning mode. This is evidenced by reports from the Organization for Economic Development (OECD) through the UNESCO International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (IESALC). The main purpose of this article is to analyze the most important milestones in the history of university distance education in Latin America, and how this learning mode has evolved according to the needs of society, being a response to the latter in each of its purposes and challenges