Timeline: The History of Technology in Education

510 BCE

Pythagoras Academy

Pythagoras Academy is the first educational academy founded in history. It was founded by the philosopher Pythagoras. Students were taught in an open classroom where they learned philosophy, science, and mathematics.

30 BCE

Cave Drawings

Cave drawings are dating back to 30,000 BCE. Since the written language was not formed yet, humans used drawings and symbols to communicate. We may say that cave drawing is the basis of the language we use today.

105

The Invention of Paper

Paper was invented around 105 A.D. in China. The invention of paper greatly helped the spread of information, literature, and literacy.

1450

The Invention of the Printing Press

The printing press was invented by Johannes Gutenberg in 1450. It is a device that allows for the mass production of printed matter, mainly text in the form of such as, books, pamphlets, and newspapers. The invention of the printing press changed everything drastically, as it made spreading information faster and easier. It is one of the most important inventions in history.

1600

Public Education (1600 - 1800s)

Students were taught in classrooms. In addition, chalkboards began to be used in classrooms from the 1700s, and textbooks from the 1800s.

1910

The Audiovisual Age (1910s - 1940s)

During that era, audio-visual tools began to be used in classrooms to make learning more effective. To be more specific: Radio by the 1920s, the film strip projector by the 1930s, and the overhead projector by the 1940s were already being used in classrooms.

1960

Information Age (1960 - 1980s)

During that era, television began to be used in the 1960s. Then, VCR and VHS tape by the 1970s, and audiotapes by the 1980s.

1990

The Computer Age & The Digital Age

With that era, computers found their places in classes. Computers began to be used in 1990. The first smart board and interactive whiteboard were also used in 1991. Additionally, in 1995, the internet began to gain popularity around the world.

2000

The Interactive Age

During that era, we witness many innovations and improvements when it comes to educational technologies. Smart Response System (LE, PE & XE), laptops, and the document camera are some of them.

2010