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1983 BCE
Cave Drawings
The cave walls adorned by Cro-Magnon artists featured captivating depictions of animals, characterized by their remarkable precision and exquisite beauty. These artful renditions held a totemistic significance, serving as symbolic magic for early hunters. Beyond their mystical purpose, these masterpieces represented humanity's initial foray into the realm of communication, marking the inaugural step in the profound journey of human expression (Saettler, 1990, p. 23). -
500 BCE
The Elder Sophists: Ancestors of Educational Technology
The Elder Sophists were a group of peripatetic educators in Athens who can be considered early pioneers in instructional technology. This group included five notable figures, such as Protagoras and Gorgias. The Sophists employed various teaching formats, including prepared lectures, impromptu talks based on audience suggestions, and debates. They also introduced a modified tutorial system, moving away from traditional one-on-one instruction to engage with groups (Saettler, 1990, p. 24). -
400 BCE
The Socratic Method
Socrates focused on exploring the nature of virtue as a guide to moral behavior. His significant educational contribution was the Socratic method of instruction, characterized by inquiry through conversation guided by leading questions (Saettler, 1990, p. 26). -
1300
Abelard: Precursor of Scholastic Method of Instruction
Scholasticism was a thriving intellectual movement in Europe. It was a highly productive and effective method of instruction. The term "Scholasticism" originated from the medieval concept of "doctor scholasticus," denoting authorized teachers in monastic or cathedral schools. These teachers, notably Pierre Abelard, developed distinct methods of philosophical speculation associated with scholasticism (Saettler, 1990, p. 27). -
A Method of Instruction According to Comenius
Comenius believed that Christian philosophy should not hinder the systematic and empirical examination of the human mind. Consequently, the foundation of Comenius' instructional system asserted that the objective of education should be deduced from Christian philosophy, while the instructional process itself should be scrutinized and enhanced through inductive methods grounded in science (Saettler, 1990, p. 29). -
Pestalozzi and His "Psychologizing" of Instructional Method
According to Pestalozzi, instruction should align with the stages of natural human growth, commencing with basic elements and progressing in sync with the learner's psychological advancement. He recognized the uniqueness of each learner and emphasized the need for teaching methods that engage the whole person. While sensory instruction became central to Pestalozzi's approach, he also acknowledged the concept of separate mental faculties (Saettler, 1990, p. 36). -
A Method of Instruction According to Froebel
Froebel's educational philosophy was rooted in the idea of the organic unity of all things within God's plan of creation. The role of an educator, according to Froebel, was to guide a child's growth. Froebel's mystical philosophy of education encompassed four key elements: free self-activity, creativity, social engagement, and motor expression (Saettler, 1990, p. 41-42). -
The Herbartian Method of Instruction
Herbart's educational approach was firmly grounded in a systematic psychology of learning. He was the first to align his theory with John Locke's tabula rasa concept, which posited that the mind begins as a blank slate.
According to Herbart, minds were passive receptacles and battlegrounds for ideas, with ideas possessing an active quality (Saettler, 1990, p. 44-45). -
School Musuems
School museums played a significant role as central administrative units for visual instruction through the distribution of various educational materials such as portable museum exhibits, stereographs, slides, films, study prints, and charts. While there have been relatively few new school museums established since the early 1900s, the concept of district-wide media centers can be seen as a modern-day equivalent to these historical institutions (Reiser, 2001, p.55) -
Instructional Films
In addition to magic lanterns and stereopticons used in some schools, motion picture projectors emerged as one of the early media devices utilized in educational settings. The United States witnessed the publication of the first catalog of instructional films in 1910. Shortly thereafter, in the same year, the public school system of Rochester, NY, made history by becoming the first to incorporate films into their regular instructional practices (Reiser, 2001, p.55) -
Audiovisual Instruction Movement
In the late 1920s and throughout the 1930s, technological progress in radio broadcasting, sound recordings, and sound motion pictures generated greater enthusiasm for instructional media. The introduction of sound-enhanced media marked a significant shift in the visual instruction movement, leading to its rebranding as the "audiovisual instruction movement" (Resier, 2001, p.56) -
Training Videos
During World War II, audiovisual instruction in schools slowed, but thrived in the military and industry. The U.S. Army Air Force created numerous training films, delivering over four million showings to personnel in two years.
During the wartime period, training films were instrumental in training civilians in the United States for industrial work (Resier, 2002, pp.56-57) -
Instructional Television
The 1950s witnessed a significant shift in the audiovisual movement, primarily driven by the growing interest in using television as an instructional medium. While there had been sporadic use of television for education before the 1950s, this decade saw a substantial expansion in instructional television. Two key catalysts for this growth were the Federal Communications Commission's allocation of educational channels and the financial support provided by the Ford Foundation (Reiser, 2001, p. 58) -
The Criterion-Referenced Testing Movement
A significant development in instructional design was the emergence of criterion-referenced testing. Criterion-referenced tests aimed to measure how well an individual could perform specific behaviors, regardless of others' performance. The use of criterion-referenced tests for these purposes became a central element in instructional design procedures (Resier, 2011, p. 60) -
Systems Approach
Branches of the U.S. military adopted instructional design models to develop training materials. Academic institutions established instructional improvement centers to aid faculty in enhancing instruction with media and design techniques, alongside the establishment of numerous graduate programs in instructional design. Businesses and industries recognized the value of instructional design for improving training quality, leading to widespread adoption (Reiser, 2011, p.61). -
Computers in the Classroom
In the early 1980s, following the availability of microcomputers to the general public, there was a growing excitement about using these machines for educational purposes. By January 1983, over 40% of elementary schools and more than 75% of secondary schools in the United States had started using computers for instructional purposes, according to the Center for Social Organization of Schools (1983). (Resierm 2011, p.59) -
Interactive White Boards
Interactive Whiteboards (IWBs) revolutionized classroom technology by merging the traditional whiteboard with the concept of a keyboard, enhanced further with a video projector. This innovation has resulted in one of the most powerful educational technology resources available in classrooms (Parkin, 2023). -
Web 2.0
The advent of user-friendly online platforms like YouTube and blogging sites enabled both educators and students to easily create and share educational materials. This web 2.0 era offered abundant free resources, benefiting teachers globally. However, it also created challenges, as the online landscape became less regulated, making it increasingly difficult to manage the appropriateness of available resources over time (Parkin, 2023) -
Gamification
Gamification transforms learning into an engaging and enjoyable process. It involves incorporating gaming elements into the classroom to actively involve students in educational games, making learning fun and positive. This approach is particularly popular in K-12 education, as kids are naturally drawn to gaming elements and achieving higher scores. However, gamification is also valuable in higher education and corporate training to enhance learner engagement (Bui, 2021) -
eLearning
The rapid spread of COVID-19 and school closures led to a surge in demand for online educational platforms. Elearning involves electronically delivering education or training through computers, laptops, tablets, or smartphones. It offers interactive learning opportunities, allowing learners to choose what they want to study and engage with on-screen content actively. Additionally, eLearning incorporates multimedia elements like animation, podcasts, and videos (Bui, 2021) -
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI has become a prominent trend in the US EdTech market, with predictions of over 45% growth through 2021. The boom is driven by AI's ability to automate tasks in education, such as grading multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank questions, and the potential for automated grading of written assignments. AI also benefits both learners and educators by offering AI tutors for student assistance when teachers are busy and providing valuable feedback (Bui, 2021). -
Social Media In Learning
Educational institutions are leveraging social media as a communication tool, allowing students to interact, share study materials, engage in group discussions, and comment on posts. Educational content, such as animated learning videos, can become viral on platforms like YouTube, as seen with organizations like TedEd, which create and share shareable educational lessons. This trend embraces social media's role in fostering collaboration and sharing (Bui, 2021) -
Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality
Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are emerging technologies in education, offering exciting and demonstrably valuable learning benefits. AR is accessible through student phones and tablets, while VR can create immersive experiences using affordable headsets and phones. (Parkin, 2023)