The History of Educational Technology

Samanta Prieto Noelia Dolenc

Educational technology is the application of technology in education.

What is it?

Nowadays, educators tend to think of educational or instructional technology as equipment (i.e. electronic equipment).

…but before getting into detail, let’s have a look at a brief version of the

educational technology’s history.

Back to roots…

But usually its history starts with educational film (1900s) or Sidney Pressey's mechanical teaching machines in the 1920s.

Educational technology in a way could be traced back to the emergence of very early tools, e.g., paintings on cave walls.

The first administrative organizations in schools to manage instructional media were school museums. The first school museum was established in St. Louis,

Missouri, in 1905.

Its purpose was to collect and loan:• portable museum exhibits, • films, • photographs, • charts, • stereographic slides, etc.

First decade of 20th:

Silent films were being produced for instructional use.

Despite efforts, films never reached the level of influence in schools due to:

teachers' lack of skill in using equipment. the cost of films, equipment inaccessibility of equipment when it was needed. time involved in finding the right film for each class.

Ring, Ring. Knock, Knock. Buaaa, Sniff…

In 1910, more than 1,000 titles of films could be rented by schools.

Radio was the next technology to gain attention.

Benjamin Darrow, imagined that radiowould provide "schools of the air“.In 1920, the Radio Divisionof the U.S.A began tolicense commercial andeducational stations.

Soon schools, colleges, departments of education, and commercial stations were providing radio programming to schools.

During the World War II (1945): - overhead projectors - slide projectors - audio equipmentWere used by the military and then by schools in the decades to follow.

Instructional television was the focus during the 1950s and the 1960s.

Rapid development of educational television stations

The aim was to provide instructional programs to school system in their viewing area. A lot of money was invested by The Ford Foundation .

Around 1950s and the 1960s:

The next technology to capture the interest of educators was the computer.

1980s microcomputers appeared and many educators became enthusiastic about computers.

1995 : the Office of Technology Assessment estimated that the optimum ratio of computers to students was five to one. 2000, an average of one computer for every five students, with 97 percent of schools having Internet connections.

Some traditional and educational technology tools include: the chalkboard, overhead projector or

classroom maps and globes.

Today, we think of computers, the internet mobile computing, electronic books, among others.

What can I do with it?

Educational technology is more than just tools. Teachers can design, deliver, facilitate and manage

instruction for global learners of all ages.

With these tools and techniques you can improve and enhance student’s learning.

Bibliography… “School Technology in Education” [online].

http://www.answers.com/topic/school-technology-in-education

What is Educational Technology? — Presentation Transcript

http://www.slideshare.net/joh5700/what-is-educational-technology

What is educational technology by By M.D. Roblyer|A. H. Doering http://www.education.com/reference/article/what-educational-technology/

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGY2cwWC8Ag

Wikipedia, Educational Technology

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Educational_technology