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10,000 BCE
Oral communication
In ancient times, oral communication was the primary method of teaching and it is still one of the most important ways of teaching up to this date. In this era, knowledge is transmitted from one person to another through words or sounds. Socrates informed and added so much to not only his surroundings but also to humanity by oral teaching. (Bates & Bates, 2015) -
Period: 10,000 BCE to
Oral communication era
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7 BCE
Written communication
Even though Moses used chiseled stone to convey the ten commandments in a form of writing. Written communication became a key educational tool with the invention of printing machines in 15th century. Printed media revolutionized learning by allowing texts to be spread widely. This led to the rise of formal correspondence education, beginning with the University of London in 1858, and evolving into modern internet based learning system. (Bates & Bates, 2015) -
Period: 7 BCE to
Written communication era
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Broadcasting and video
In the 1920s, radio become a significant educational tool, followed by television in the 1960s. The BBC and the Open University used these media to offer educational programs to students. In the 1990s, developments in video technology and the internet made digital distribution possible. This era's platforms like MIT’s OpenCourseWare and YouTube bring recorded lectures and educational content to a global audience. (Bates & Bates, 2015) -
Period: to
Broadcasting and video era
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Computer technologies
Computer based education started with B.F. Skinner’s teaching machines in 1954, and further developed with PLATO in the 1970s, an early online learning platform. The development of the www (World Wide Web) in 1991 and the introduction of learning management systems (LMS) like WebCT paved the way for online education. MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses), appeared in 2008, offering wide access to educational materials. (Bates & Bates, 2015) -
Period: to
Computer technologies
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References
Bates, A., & Bates, A. (2015, April 5). 6.2 A short history of educational technology. Pressbooks. https://opentextbc.ca/teachinginadigitalage/chapter/section-8-1-a-short-history-of-educational-technology/