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The Teaching Machine
B.P. Skinner gave this forecast on the potential for technology to
revolutionize learning and classroom procedures. -
A Technology Invasion
Computers enter the classroom sometime in the early 1960's; first to store student data and, eventually, for student use. -
Take A Bite of The Apple!
In the early 1980's, the Apple II was the first affordable and widely adopted personal computer. Before the Apple II, large mainframe computers had some presence in schools, though they were not very widespread. By the mid-80's, it was the predominant computer in K-12 settings. -
Mostly Fun and Games
In the 1980s, much of the curriculum surrounding computers in the classroom related to teaching how computers worked (programming languages, for instance) or for games (Le., Oregon Trail) and less on using them to perform other nontechnical educational functions. -
Up the Adoption Curve
By 1990, most classrooms across the United States had access to
computers in some way. These systems provided a self-paced learning experience for each user; however each learning experience followed a set trajectory that offered the same help, the same questions and answers, and the same path. -
Open the Gates!
Computers used CD-ROM disks, and with the growth and release of new Microsoft products throughout the 1990s (Windows 95, Windows 98, most notably) and the maturation of the software and hardware industries, computers became commonplace in the classroom. -
A Prediction of His Own
"The world of education is the sector of the economy so far the least changed by technology. Ten years from now, that won't be the case."- Bill Gates, 2009
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In the Palm of Your Hand
Desktop computers, laptops, and netbooks were the most prevalent technologies utilized by schools until early 2010 when Apple released the iPad, which created a new category for mobile devices: the tablet computer. Featuring touchscreen technology, increased mobile learning portability, Wi-Fi, and an intuitive user interface, the iPad presented a major game-changer for digital learning. -
End of a (Brief) Era
Slowly, the tablet stole market share from netbooks, and in early 2013, Acer and Asus, the top two netbook producers, officially phased out production of their netbooks, effectively ending the netbook market.
