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100,000 BCE
Oral Comminication
In ancient times, stories, folklore, histories, and news were transmitted and maintained through oral communication, making accurate memorization a critical skill, and many aboriginal cultures continued to use oral traditions. In the ancient Greeks, Homer's Iliad and Odyssey were recitative poems intended for public performance. To be learned, they had to be memorized by listening, not by reading, and transmitted by recitation, not by writing. -
700 BCE
Written Comminication
Even though the availability of written materials in the fifth century B.C., oral communication was essential. Tools like slate boards, blackboards, and projectors supported oral communication. Written communication has a long history, dating back to the 7th century BC. The printing press in the 15th century made written knowledge more available, like the internet today. In the 19th century, improvements in transport infrastructure led to the development of the first formal remote education. -
Broadcasting and Video
In 1924, the BBC launched educational radio broadcasts and adult education programs. The 1960s saw the introduction of TV for school and adult education. The British Open University, founded in 1969, cooperated with the BBC to deliver educational programs by printed materials and radio/TV broadcasts. In the 1990s, video production prices fell, allowing for the creation of lecture methods, and platforms like YouTube and Khan Academy approved oral communication education for long-term importance. -
Computer-based Learning Era
Programmed learning was developed to automate instruction by various techniques, first introduced by B.F. Skinner in 1954. The University of Illinois Plato System was a successful first example, incorporating features like message boards and online testing. Adaptive learning and learning analytics are emerging concepts that modify content based on learner performance, with recent advancements in neuroscience and cognitive science showing promise. -
Paradigm Shift
Education has long adapted to new technologies, often retaining older ones in specialized niches. The digital age, with rapid tech development and deep immersion in tech-based activities, represents a significant shift in educational technology driven by the Internet. -
Computer Networking
The first network using the Internet protocol, Arpanet, was revealed in 1982. In 1988, the university’s course DT200 contained online discussion, leading to one of the first mass open online courses. The World Wide Web was initiated in 1991, allowing users to create and link digital content. The first web browser, Mosaic, appeared in 1993, followed by the launch of Google, a primary search engine, in 1999. -
Online Learning Environment
The first learning management systems (LMSs), such as WebCT and later Blackboard, which offered structured online learning environments, were made possible by the web in 1995. That year saw the debut of the first completely online courses, which mostly used text and graphics. Up until about 2008, LMSs dominated online learning; at that time, lecture capture systems appeared. -
Social Media
Social media, a subcategory of computer technology, includes blogs, wikis, YouTube, mobile devices, Twitter, Skype, and Facebook. Defined as internet-based applications that allow user-generated content and interaction in virtual communities, they are strongly associated with millennials. While still being integrated into formal education, their main value lies in fostering online communities and supporting classroom activities. Future chapters will argue their greater learning potential.