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The Blackboard
In 1801 a mathematics teacher in Philadelphia began using a combination of granite slabs put together to teach more effectively. Today we have come to know this slab as a blackboard or chalkboard. It originated in Scotland after a teacher who was trying to display several large maps thought of the idea. As the news of the blackboard traveled overseas in the early 1800’s, by 1809 every public school classroom in America was using one to teach and instruct. -
Period: to
1809-1972
The development and evolution of technology in education. -
The Magic Lantern
The classroom was introduced originally to the Magic Lantern, a primitive version of the modern day slide projector. Created by Ernst Wilhelm and Friedrich Langenheim in 1848 in Philadelphia and patented in 1850. This slide projector would project images that printed onto a glass plate. (Perdue) Originally these hand painted slides were held up against a candle or lamp to illuminate or project the image onto the wall. -
The Pencil
Although the pencil was designed in Germany in the late 1600’s, it didn’t make its debut in the classroom in America until about 1900. By this time we had several factories mass producing this beloved wooden writing utensil. It would take the place of the slate board that most students would use in class with chalk. The pencil revolutionized the way we took notes because it was easier and faster than chalk and slate boards. -
The Radio
As a broadcast teacher, my favorite invention and educational tool in the classroom would have to be the radio. The radio was invented in the 1800’s by a combination of people and nationalities but it was actually brought into our school system as a broadcast network in 1925. New York City’s Board of Education was actually the first organization to send lessons to schools through a radio station. -
The Overhead Projector
Initially used by the U.S. military for training purposes in World War II, overhead projectors quickly spread to schools and other organizations around the country (DUNN). Thinking back on school, I can’t remember not having an overhead projector. It is probably one of the best instructional tools we have access to in the classroom. We are constantly finding new ways to make this valuable resource better and more advanced with the help of Smart Boards and TV’s. -
The Videotape
Who can remember the classroom without the videotape in this lifetime? Probably not very many people. The videotape has been a great instructional tool to captivate and hook our young audiences in the classroom. The electronics division of entertainer Bing Crosby’s production company, Bing Crosby Enterprises (BCE), gave the world’s first demonstration of a videotape recording in Los Angeles on November 11, 1951. -
Skinner Teaching Machine
In 1954, B.F. Skinner, who was a behavioral scientist designed and tested an electronic scanning device that would allow the user to assess and learn at the student’s own individual pace. This device would be known as the Skinner Teacher Machine (DUNN). The idea of this learning machine was that the student could slowly move through their curriculum content and be rewarded for reaching certain levels of achievement. -
The Photocopier
In 1959 when Xerox made their debut with the photocopier, everyone in business and education were on board to receive one. Photocopying is widely used in business, education, and government as a way to scan and make copies of material out of books and workbooks for their staff or students. -
The Scantron
If there has been one major invention that changed the outline of our curriculum over the decades in education, it would have to be the invention of the scantron. The scantron would allow for mass amounts of students to take a standardized test and receive their scores back in ample time (DUNN). We would no longer have to wait for the exams to be grades by hand and it really seemed to increase the need for more and more standardized tests to be given to our students.