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Jul 27, 1440
The Printing Press
The printing press transformed learning. It transformed the relationship between teacher and student. Invented around 1440 by Johannes Guttenberg, it made educational information available in the form of textbooks to a greater portion of the population, not just the rich and titled. Many writers credit the printing press as a catalyst for the profound societal and cultural transformations that began to occur in the 16th century. -
Period: Jul 27, 1440 to
Educational Technology
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Magic Lantern
Originally invented in the middle 1600’s, this device was used to bend light through lenses and project images that run on a slide. The first uses of the device were purely for entertainment but as time progressed it became more and more accepted as an educational aide. Being able to show the students a picture of something on a larger scale made it easier for students to understand information and was widely used for educational purposes by the late 1800’s. -
Education Programming
Educational programming sometimes dubbed “edutainment” was introduced to reach children all over the world and teach them. Sesame Street came on the scene in late 1960’s to introduce children to more than just their ABC’s and 123’s. It came on the air to reach a new generation of children and make them see how well all races and parts of society could work together. It opened the door for many popular shows like The Electric Company and Dora the Explorer and even Mythbusters. -
Desktop Computers
With the invention of the Apple II computer and the Commodore PET, the desktop computer was now an affordable and smaller option for home use. In the early 1980’s computer-based tutorials and learning games were being developed by commercial software manufacturers. By the mid 1980’s 25 % of high schools used PC’s. By the early 1990’s there were numerous hardware and software options for schools. In the 21st century our classrooms revolve around the computer. -
Interactive Whiteboard
Originally invented by SMART Technologies, Inc, the interactive whiteboard is a device that can be paired with a computer and used to project images onto a whiteboard in a classroom. The images and then be manipulated by using a special stylus or even the teachers fingertip. The reason for their importance in the classroom is this, they engage students. With bright and colorful images on the board students are drawn into the information being delivered. -
The Internet
The internet was first conceptualized in the 1930’s and 40’s and experimented with throughout the 1960’s and 1970’s with the first working prototype being born in the 1960’s. By the early 1990’s the internet, known as dial-up at the time, made its way into home and schools and connected one computer to another through telephone lines. By 1996 the technology had exploded and growth measured at over 100% over the next two years. -
Smartphones and Tablets
With the release of the first Apple iPhone in 2007, these devices have become the standard means of communication in our society. In the classroom, they are also a valuable tool because now instead of passing out bulky textbooks and worksheets we can simply require our students to carry one iPad or Android tablet and it can hold all the information that used to fill a very unorganized locker. In the classroom these items can be paired with the Smartboard. -
Educational Apps
Educational applications, or “apps” for short, were first popularized in 2008 with introduction of the Apple 3g.There are millions of educational apps available for PC’s, tablets, and smartphones. These apps allow us as educators to provide differentiated learning resources for our entire classroom. By allowing children to play these games they’re increasing their knowledge and without complaining that they’re actually learning.
