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500 BCE
The Elder Sophists: Ancestors of Educational Technology
The Elder Sophists include Protagoras of Abdera (500-410 BCE) and Gorgias of Leontini (ca. 485-380). They were the first known teachers to implement mass Instruction. -
470 BCE
The Socratic Method of Instruction (Inquiry): Socrates (470-399 BCE)
The Socratic Method was based on the idea that humans are born with innate knowledge, which can be brought out through skillful questioning. -
1079
The Scholastic Method: Pierre Abelard (1079-1142)
The Scholastic Method significantly influenced the development of European universities and the future system of scientific reasoning. His ideas had a direct impact on Peter Lombard (1100-1160) and St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274). -
1439
*Johannes Gutenberg Invents Printing Press
The invention of the printing press allowed for mass publication and dissemination of printed information to the masses. This had a significant affect on instruction.
[https://www.britannica.com/technology/printing-press] -
Principles of Instructional Method: Johann Amos Comenius (1592-1670)
"Comenius was the first true forerunner of modern educational technology....as an applied science in support of the practical arts (p. 31). In 1958, Comenius authored the book Orbus Pictus (The World of Pictures), which was a popular visual aid textbook. Source: Saettler, P. (2004). Early forerunners: Before 1900. In Saettler, P. (Ed.) The evolution of American educational technology. IAP, 23-51. -
"Psychologizing" of Instructional Method: Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi (1746-1827)
Pestalozzi wanted to construct instruction according to the laws of natural human development. -
The Herbartian Method of Instruction: Friedrich Herbart (1776-1841)
Herbart developed a methodical psychology of teaching and learning to complement Locke's theory of the blank slate (tabula rasa). -
Lancasterian Monitorial Instruction: Joseph Lancaster (1778-1838)
Lancaster developed manuals about classroom organization and economic management, including how to organize subject matter according to level. His schools were the forerunners of today's instructional technology. -
The Kindergarten: Friedrich Wilhelm Froebel (1782-1852)
Froebel's method toward kindergarten education consisted of 1) games and songs, 2) construction, and 3) gifts and occupation. The first kindergarten in the U.S opened in 1855. -
*First Commercial Typewriters
The typewriter allowed people to write quickly and clearly. This had a significant affect on instruction.
[https://www.britannica.com/technology/typewriter] -
First School Museum: St. Louis, MO
This museum contained portable museum exhibits, slides, films, prints, charts, etc. -
The Visual Instruction Movement and Instructional Films (1908-1923)
Visual media included lantern slide projectors, stereopticons, motion picture projectors, and instructional films. -
The Audiovisual Instruction Movement and Instruction Radio (1920-1937)
During this period, new technology allowed sound to accompany visual media. Although radio became popular, it did not have much impact on education in the following decades. -
Creation of the National Education Association (now AECT)
This organization continues to be a leader in the field of educational technology. -
WWII: The Origins of Instructional Design (1941-1945)
Psychologists and educators conducted research and developed training materials, based on instructional principles derived from research and theory, learning, and human behavior. Audiovisual devices, such as training films and filmstrips, overhead and slide projectors, audio equipment, simulators, and training devices were used in the military and industry. -
Post WWII: Renewed Interest in Using Audiovisual Devices in Schools (1945-1955)
Intensive audiovisual research programs focused on identifying principles of learning that could be used in the design of audiovisual materials. -
Computers (1950s)
Computer-Assisted Instruction (CAI) was developed in the 1950s by IBM to be used in public schools. -
Theories and Models of Communication (1950-1955)
A new interest in the communication process began, which emphasized the whole system: sender, receiver, message, and channel/medium, in contrast to solely focusing on the medium. -
Growth of Instructional Television (1950s)
In 1952, the Federal Communications Commission set aside educational channels, and between 1960-1963, the Ford Foundation spent millions on funding educational television. -
The Programmed Instruction Movement: The Science of Learning and the Art of Teaching by B. F. Skinner
Skinner stated that programmed instructional materials should teach in small steps, which demand explicit answers to recurrent questions, offer instant (positively reinforced) feedback, and permit the students to go at their own pace. -
Behavioral Objectives: Taxonomy of Educational Objectives by Benjamin Bloom et al.
This book stressed that there were different kinds of learning outcomes within the cognitive domain, objectives that could be classified according to the type of learner behavior, and outcomes that could be placed in a hierarchical relationship. In addition, they indicated that tests should measure each kind of outcome. -
Criterion-Referenced Testing Movement
These tests became important in measuring a learner's performance of a distinct behavior/s. This was a change from the usual norm-referenced tests, which compared learners to other learners. -
Preparing Objectives for Programmed Instruction by Robert Mager
This book indicated how to create objectives that include 1) an explanation of the desired learner actions, 2) the circumstances under which the actions are to be completed, and 3) the criteria by which the actions are to be evaluated. -
The Conditions of Learning by Robert Gagne
This book described the five domains of learning outcomes (verbal information, intellectual skills, psychomotor skills, attitudes, and cognitive strategies), the nine events of instruction, and a hierarchical analysis process for identifying subordinate skills. -
Formative and Summative Evaluation Coined by Michael Scriven
The tryout and revision process (formative) was contrasted to the testing of instructional materials after they are in their final form (summative). -
*Handheld Calculator
Jack Kilby from Texas Instruments led the development of the first handheld calculator. It could add, multiply, subtract, and divide large numbers quickly and correctly. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calculator#History] -
Department of Audiovisual Instruction Changed to Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT)
The terms educational technology and instructional technology began to replace audiovisual instruction. -
Burgeoning of Interest in the Systems Approach (1970s)
This interest was seen in the military, academia, business and industry, as well as internationally. -
*Scantron Corporation Founded
Scantron started providing products and services for assessments and surveys worldwide. In education, this made it faster for teachers to grade multiple-choice tests. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scantron_Corporation] -
Growing Interest in Cognitive Psychology (1980s)
How could the principles of cognitive psychology by applied in the instructional design process? -
Microcomputers for Instructional Purposes (1980s)
There was widespread interest and enthusiasm, but not much innovation, in the computer as an instructional tool, used mainly for drill and practice and word processing. -
*CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read-Only Memory)
The CD-ROM format was developed by Japanese company Denon. CD-ROMs allowed for the easy storage of and access to large amounts of data. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CD-ROM] -
*Invention of the World Wide Web
Computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web. The Internet begins its tremendous impact on instructional purposes.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Berners-Lee] -
Changing Views and Practices (1990s)
The performance technology movement, constructivism, electronic performance support systems, rapid prototyping, and knowledge management all have an important impact on instructional design. -
*Interactive Whiteboards
The first interactive whiteboards were designed and manufactured for use in the office. These whiteboards can increase engagement in collaborative productions, increase communication, effectively annotate documents, allow data sharing, and connect to mobile devices.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interactive_whiteboard] -
*Learning Management System (LMS)
The first fully featured LMS was developed and released in Norway. LMS supports face-to-face, online, and blended learning. It can save time and money by allowing the easy administration of large amounts of information in a user friendly, web-based environment.[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_management_system#History] -
*Wiki
The first wiki was developed by Ward Cunningham. The use of wikis can save time and money by letting people share documents for collaborative editing and quicker approval. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki#History] -
*Cloud Computing
The cloud makes it cheaper and easier to store information on the internet, having a big impact on education.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_computing#History] -
*Open Educational Resources (OER)
MIT is credited for having ignited the global OER Movement. OER allows students to access course materials at no cost, making it more equitable to the population. Faculty can also develop customized materials for their courses.[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_educational_resources#History] -
*iPhone
The first iPhone was released by Apple, expanding the possibilities of educational technology.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPhone#History_and_availability] -
*Massive Open Online Course (MOOC)
The term was coined by Dave Cormier of the University of Prince Edward Island in response to a course at the University of Manitoba. MOOCs open up many advantages in education, such as free and eaasy access to courses offered by professors at the top schools. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massive_open_online_course#History] -
*iPad
The first iPad was released by Apple, expanding the possibilities of educational technology.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPad#History] -
*Virtual Reality (VR)
The Oculus Rift Kickstarter offered the first independently developed VR headset. VR allows for the creation of "virtual worlds," which will continue to revolutionize education this century.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_reality]