Most residents made little attempt to transcend the routine workday. Too busy carrying life's daily burdens, most characters in Our Town had no time to wait for the loon's call, to listen to a songbird's tune, to wonder about the quality of their lives, or to contemplate options for the future. At the end of the 21st Century, our society is similar to Our Town - we can get caught up in the details of our daily lives and forget to think about the larger issues that give life meaning. But at the end of the 21st Century, Maine towns differ from Our Town in an important way. Our Maine towns are linked by technologies making it possible to transcend the barriers of time and space, allowing many people the opportunity to pursue lifelong learning.
Distance is no longer an obstacle to higher education.
Many people in Maine towns today enjoy taking college courses from a distance through television and computer technologies. And higher education is also possible for people with severe time constraints. Many courses are offered asynchronously, meaning students may do the coursework at their own pace and at their own convenience. Flexibility and convenience are the hallmarks of distance and asynchronous instructional technologies. Students can also take asynchronous courses on a home computer - any time, any place.