The Evolution of Technology in the Purdu Online Classroom (2023)

Technology has always been at the forefront of human education. From the days of carving figures into stone walls to the present day, when most students are armed with multiple portable tech devices at any one time, technology is taking pedagogical possibilities to a new level. Looking at where educational methods and tools have come from and where they are going in the future, the importance of technology in the classroom is clear now more than ever.

A History of Classroom Technology: The Primitive Classroom

In colonial times, wooden oars with printed lessons called horn books were used to help students learn the verses. Over 200 years later, in 1870, the technology evolved into the Magic Lantern, an early version of a slide projector that projected images printed onto glass plates. By the time World War I ended, an estimated 8,000 lantern slides were circulating through Chicago's public school system. When the blackboard came out in 1890 and the pencil in 1900, it was clear that students were craving more advanced teaching tools.

• Radio sparked a whole new wave of learning in the 1920s; Over-the-air classes began to appear within earshot of every student.
• Then came theOverhead Projector1930, followed by the ballpoint pen in 1940 and headphones in 1950.
• Videotapes came out in 1951 and created an exciting new teaching method.
• Skinners Lehrmaschinedeveloped a combined teaching and testing system that confirms correct answers so the student can move on to the next lesson.
• Next came the photocopier (1959) and pocket calculator (1972) into classrooms, allowing real-time mass production of material and rapid mathematical calculations.
• The Scantron testing system, introduced by Michael Sokolski in 1972, allowed educators to score tests faster and more efficiently.

The pre-computer years were formative for the decisions that were made about computers in later years. Responsive systems (video, calculators, scantron) became necessary, and the rapid production of teaching materials with the photocopier became the standard. OUnited States Department of Educationreports that high school enrollment was only 10% in 1900 but had risen to 95% by 1992. The number of students at the college was around 1 million in 1930, but by 2012 it had grown to a record 21.6 million. Teachers needed new methods of teaching and testing, and students were looking for new ways to communicate, study, and learn.

The advent and importance of personal computers

Although the first computers were developed in the 1930s, everyday computers were introduced in the 1980s. The first portable computer in 1981 weighed 25 pounds and cost $1,795. When IBM introduced its first personal computer in 1981, the educational world knew it was on the verge of greatness.TempoMagazine titled Your Computer"Man of the Year"1982, and rightly so: the foundation for immediate learning ability was laid.Tempostated, "It's the end result of a technological revolution that's been underway for four decades and is now literally coming home."

• Toshiba released its first mass-market laptop (T1100) in 1985 andOr the infamous Mac from Apple(which later evolved into the Powerbook) was available from 1984.
• The World Wide Web came to life in 1990 when a British researcher developed the Hyper TextMarkup Language, or HTML, and when theNational Science Foundation(NSF) lifted restrictions on the commercial use of the Internet in 1993, and the world exploded in a frenzy of new research and communication methods.
• The first personal digital assistants (PDAs) were introduced by Apple Computer Inc. in 1993, making computers a part of every day, if not every moment.In 2009, 97% of classrooms had one or more computers, and 93% of classroom computers had Internet access. There was one computer for every 5 students. Teachers reported that 40% of students frequently used computers in their teaching methods, in addition to interactive whiteboards and digital cameras. Today, college students are rarely without some form of computing technology: 83% own a laptop and over 50% own a smartphone.

The future of technology in the classroom

It seems years since MySpace, first launched in 2003, Facebook (2004) and Twitter (2007) changed the way we communicate and do business. Instant connectivity has evolved from a simple personal communication tool to an educational teaching and outreach platform. Social media is now recognized as an accepted form of teaching in some cases, and groups like itscholastic teachersprovide excellent support and tips for trainers. Many faculty use social media to communicate directly with their students or to form forum-style groups for students to communicate with, and the method seems to prove valuable in providing individual attention to student questions and concerns.

With the classroom already becoming a hotbed of technological advances, what does the future hold to further advance pedagogical skills?

• Biometrics, a technology that recognizes people based on certain physical or behavioral characteristics, is on the technological horizon. Science is used to detect the physical and emotional disposition of students in the classroom and tailor course material to each individual's needs based on biometric cues.
• A second emerging technology isAugmented Reality (AR)-Brille, rumored to be on Google's starting list, and this technology could be a whole new world for education. AR glasses (or even contact lenses) provide data on what we see naturally to enable a real-world learning experience. For example, a student wearing AR glasses could sit at his desk and talk about inventions with Thomas Edison. After all, it was Edison who said that "books will soon be obsolete in schools. Scholars will soon be taught by the eye.”
• Multitouch surfaces are commonly used on devices like the iPhone, but the technology could be made more relevant to education with full multitouch surfaces such as desks or workstations. This allows students to collaborate with other students, even those around the world, and videos and other virtual tools can be streamed directly to the surface.

Educators and the evolution of technology in the classroom

With the development of technology, educational capacities are growing and changing every day. The Internet is a vast electronic library of information, and both research and education can be accomplished with the click of a mouse. With these advances come new responsibilities for the instructor and therefore increase the value of an instructor.Master of Education in Design and Learning Technology🇧🇷 As technology advances, an educator's skills grow by leaps and bounds, and without knowledge of these changes and skills, there is a good chance for an instructor to fall behind.

A career in education takes hard work and dedication, but for the diligent educator, it can be very rewarding. For those serious about succeeding in education, staying well-informed on current and ever-changing technologies is imperative. As the technology world evolves, so will the learning environment both on campus and online, and the need for faculty with technology and design backgrounds will continue to grow.

Learn more about the online MSEd in Learning Design and Technology at Purdue University today and help redefine the way individuals learn. turn on(877) 497-5851speak to an Admissions Advisor orclick hereto request further information.

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