-
Period: to
Public Education Takes Hold in America
Public education varied by gender and by class, with most schools catering to males of upper classes. As America developed, states began to decree that public education should be free, that teachers should be trained, and that schooling should be mandatory for children. -
Puritans Set Up Schools in America
Puritans wanted their children to be able to read and interpret the Bible, so they founded the Boston Latin School in 1635, modeled after a school in England. -
Normal Schools Created to Train Teachers
American needed an educated population to sustain democracy, so teachers were trained in Normal Schools to provide education for elementary-aged children. -
Period: to
Visual Instruction Age
Photographs, slides, and other images were added to curricula to supplement textbooks and teacher-initiated instruction. -
AudioVisual Instruction
Sound enters media, through radio and phonograph, though it had little impact on instruction. -
B.F. Skinner Formulates Operant Conditional Learning Theory
B.F. Skinner followed Pavlov's conditioning experiments with dogs with Operant Conditioning on humans, developing the theory that reinforcements strengthen actions. Rewards encourage desired behaviors while punishment discourages unwanted behaviors -
Period: to
WWII Training
Filmstrips, overhead projectors, and training films prepared soldiers for war and trained civilians to work in war-time industries. -
Multimedia Instruction
The 1950's saw the inclusion of television in training, and the term "multimedia instruction" was coined. -
The Information Age
The 1960's saw the first computers used in instruction. Robert Mager published his book, Preparing Objectives for Programmed Instruction, which described how to craft objectives for learners, learning conditions, and standards for learning. -
Instructional Design Emerges
In 1962 Robert Glaser coins the concept of instructional design. Soon after, in 1965, Robert Gagné identifies 5 major categories of learning: verbal, intellectual, cognition, motor, and attitude -
Cognitivism
Cognitivism became the predominant learning theory in the 1970's, replacing behaviorism. Cognitivism addressed the higher-level thinking skills needed to teach people to think critically and analyze and solve complex problems. -
Period: to
VHS to the Computer Age
By 1983, 40% of elementary and 75% of high schools had computers to aid in instruction. -
Period: to
Clark-Kozma Debate
Clark argued in 1983 that media is just a delivery vehicle and did not influence learning. Kozma disagreed in 1994, suggesting the media could be an effective method to influence learning. The Clark-Kozma debate sparked research and discussion, which has influenced the conversation around educational technology in the years since. -
SMARTboards and the World Wide Web
In 1991, the first SMARTboards were being used in classrooms. The World Wide Web came on line the same year. -
NYU Online
Though a non-profit, NYU created a for-profit arm for distance learning through its NYU Online education subsidiary. -
Social Media
Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Twitter are popular social media outlets launched in the 2000's. User-created content exploded, and the internet became even more interactive, blurring the lines between creators and consumers. -
Period: to
MOOCs, Virtual & Augmented Reality, Gamification
Massive Open Online Courses are proliferate, and people can take free, online courses in a wide variety of areas. VR and AR technologies are becoming more accessible and affordable. Gamification of learning continues to grow to meet needs of learners and 21st Century demands. -
Period: to
Blended Learning / Mobile Learning / eLearning
As of 2008, over 4.6 million students were taking classes online. In 2017-18, 501 full-time virtual schools were teaching remote students. In 2020, 90% of the schools in the U. S. closed face-to-face learning, and many students moved to mobile learning and eLearning options.