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30,000 BCE
Cave drawings
Cave drawings were the main media used by cavemen to preserve knowledge of their surrounding world. -
400 BCE
Socrates
Socrates famously stated, "I know that I know nothing". Socrates developed a new form of teaching which had a focus on inquiry and discussion between the teacher and students. Critical thinking was stimulated by asking and answering questions. -
105
Paper
Paper was first produced in China but in the beginning it was only used for safety. For example, wrapping delicate items in it. However, by the third century paper was also used for writing. -
900
Books and Manuscripts
In the 10th century medical practitioners began to record their medical knowledge. These texts were then given to the monks. The monks were not only collecting and recording information but improving texts and correcting errors. Cathedral Schools were opened by the monks for the 'privileged' boys. -
1450
The Gutenberg Printing Press
Before, the Gutenberg Printing Press, most books were still copied by hand which meant very few books were made. The books were very valuable and many belonged to the church or a powerful institution. The Gutenberg printing press meant there was a greater number of books that were developed quickly and cheaply. -
Hornbooks
In the 1600s public education emerged and hornbooks were the method of transmitting knowledge to students. A hornbook is a wooden paddle with lessons tacked on and is covered by a transparent horn. The top half had letters, vowels and a syllabary whilst the bottom half is concerned with religion. -
The Magic Lantern
The Magic lantern was invented in the 17th century but become popular in schools in the 1800s. It is a device that projects printed images of glass frames onto the walls in a dark classroom. -
Blackboards and slate
The modern blackboards date back to 1800. James Pillans, a geography teacher in Edinburgh, connected a number of smaller slates together on the wall to create a large single slate i.e. the first blackboard. Pupils had been using individual slates for reading and writing for years before this. Teachers now had a visual aid that was versatile. It could be used as a textbook or a blank page. -
Pencils
The first pencil was invented in 1795 by Nicholas-Jacques Conte. It is made from graphite. In the 1900s paper and pencils became popular in schools. Slates and chalk became obsolete. -
Radio
Radios emerged in the 1910s. Programmes were designed specifically for education. Students could listen to programs and interact with radio programs. -
Overhead projector
In the 1930s the overhead projector was widely used by the US military to train forces during WWII. This device eventually spread to schools in the 1950s. Teachers were able to print their materials on a plastic sheet and write on a plastic sheet with a non permanent washable marker. -
VHR,VCR and audio tapes
In the 1960s, with the emergence of the information age, VHS, VCR and audio tapes could be used to enrich lessons.The first VCR was created by JVC using two inch wide tapes. -
The Calculator
The first handheld calculator was a prototype called "Cal Tech" whose development was led by Jack Kilby at Texas Instruments in 1967. The first handheld calculator only became common in schools after 1972 as their prices had reduced to a point where they were affordable due to their small size. They allowed pupils to type in the operands and perform mathematical operations in a single click. -
PCs and computer games
First IBM PCs arrived in 1981 to the classrooms as well as computer games. There was no World Wide Web at the time. The Oregon trail was the earliest educational video games adopted by schools designed to teach school children about the realities of 19th Century pioneer life on the Oregon Trail. The player assumed the role of a wagon leader guiding his or her party of settlers from Independence, Missouri, to Oregon's Willamette Valley on the Oregon Trail via a covered wagon in 1848. -
Interactive Whiteboards
The first interactive whiteboard was launched in 1991. These boards enable teachers to integrate chalkboards with technologies such as computers, projectors and televisions. by 2004 about 24% of classrooms in Britain had an IWB. -
Roamer
Roamer is a friendly programmable robot created in 2000 that introduces children to computer programming in a very concrete way. Roamer has its own programming panel on its back allowing children to program it to move around the floor and explore space and shape. -
Tablets
From their creation in 2000 by Microsoft, tablets have slowly integrated into the classroom with 70% of British schools using them by 2014. The use of tablets in school is praised as being a live knowledge base as the teacher can quickly deliver engaging materials in real time and gives students instant access to individual research. -
QR Codes
QR (Quick Response) Codes are used as a replacement for web addresses and text. They can contain text, links to websites, videos, files and much more. Students can only access what you tell them to via the QR code. QR Codes are simple to create, easy to implement and open a world of independence for students.
