The history of educational technology

By nhungbui2004
  • The Elder Sophists: Birth of Systematic Instruction
    450 BCE

    The Elder Sophists: Birth of Systematic Instruction

    Introduced mass instruction, rhetorical training, and analytical teaching methods. They treated education as a professional craft, created the foundation for instructional design.
  • Comenius’s Orbus Pictus: Visual Learning Revolution

    Comenius’s Orbus Pictus: Visual Learning Revolution

    Created the first widely popular illustrated textbook for children. It linked visual imagery with language learning, anticipating modern multimedia education.
  • Pestalozzi’s Object-Teaching (1805–1825)

    Pestalozzi’s Object-Teaching (1805–1825)

    Emphasized sensory experience and developmental stages. His method used real-world objects to teach number, form, and language—shifting focus to learner-centered instruction.
  • Herbart’s Apperception Theory (1835)

    Herbart’s Apperception Theory (1835)

    Developed a structured, psychology-based instructional model. His four-step method (Clearness, Association, System, Method) influenced lesson planning and teacher training.
  • Birth of School Museums (1905)

    Birth of School Museums (1905)

    The first school museum opened in St. Louis, distributing visual aids like stereographs and slides.
    Marked the beginning of organized visual instruction in U.S. education.
  • World War II Training Innovations (1940s)

    World War II Training Innovations (1940s)

    Psychologists like Gagné and Briggs developed training materials using principles from learning theory. Introduced systematic approaches to instruction, including task analysis and evaluation—laying the groundwork for instructional design.
  • World War II Training Films (1941–1945)

    World War II Training Films (1941–1945)

    The U.S. military produced over 400 training films and 600 filmstrips. These media were credited with accelerating training and improving performance—an early example of large-scale instructional media success.
  • FCC Allocates Educational TV Channels (1952)

    FCC Allocates Educational TV Channels (1952)

    The Federal Communications Commission set aside 242 channels for educational use. Sparked a boom in instructional television, backed by major funding from the Ford Foundation.
  • Emergence of Criterion-Referenced Testing (1960s)

    Emergence of Criterion-Referenced Testing (1960s)

    Robert Glaser coined the term and emphasized measuring individual performance against defined objectives. Became a central feature of instructional design, especially in evaluating learner outcomes.
  • Publication of Gagné’s The Conditions of Learning (1965)

    Publication of Gagné’s The Conditions of Learning (1965)

    Defined five domains of learning and nine events of instruction.vIntroduced hierarchical analysis, which became foundational in instructional design models.
  • Rise of Constructivism and Performance Technology (1990s)

    Rise of Constructivism and Performance Technology (1990s)

    Designers began focusing on real-world problem solving, collaboration, and learner ownership.
    Shifted attention from traditional training to electronic performance support systems and knowledge management.
  • Rise of Internet-Based Instruction (1995–2000)

    Rise of Internet-Based Instruction (1995–2000)

    Internet access in U.S. schools jumped from 50% to 90% between 1995 and 1998.Distance learning and digital media use surged in higher education, business, and the military.