1. The History of Educational
Technology
Samanta Prieto
Noelia Dolenc

2. What is it?
 Educational technology is the application of
technology in education.
 Nowadays, educators tend to think of
educational or instructional technology as
equipment (i.e. electronic equipment).
…but before getting into detail, let’s
have a look at a brief version of the
educational technology’s history.

3. Back to roots…
 Educational technology in a
way could be traced back to the
emergence of very early tools,
e.g., paintings on cave walls.
 But usually its history starts with educational film
(1900s) or Sidney Pressey's mechanical teaching machines
in the 1920s.

4.  The first administrative organizations in
schools to manage instructional media were
school museums. The first school museum was
established in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1905.
 Its purpose was to collect and loan:
• portable museum exhibits,
• films,
• photographs,
• charts,
• stereographic slides, etc.

5. First decade of 20th:
Silent films were being produced for instructional use.
Despite efforts, films never
reached the level of influence in schools due to:
teachers' lack of skill in using equipment.
 the cost of films, equipment
inaccessibility of equipment when it was needed.
 time involved in finding the right film for each class.

6. Ring, Ring. Knock, Knock. Buaaa, Sniff…
In 1910,
more than 1,000
titles of films could be
rented by schools.

7. Radio was the next technology to
gain attention.
Benjamin Darrow, imagined that radio
would provide "schools of the air“.
In 1920, the Radio Division
of the U.S.A began to
license commercial and
educational stations.
Soon schools, colleges, departments
of education, and commercial
stations were providing radio
programming to schools.

8. During the World War II (1945):
- overhead projectors
- slide projectors
- audio equipment
Were used by the military and then by schools in the decades
to follow.
Instructional television was the focus during the 1950s and
the 1960s.  Rapid development of educational television
stations
 The aim was to provide instructional
programs to school system in their viewing
area.
 A lot of money was invested by The Ford
Foundation .

9. Around 1950s and the 1960s:
The next technology to capture the interest of
educators was the computer.
1980s microcomputers appeared and
many educators became
enthusiastic about computers.
1995 : the Office of
Technology Assessment
estimated that the optimum
ratio of computers to students
was five to one.
2000, an average of one
computer for every five
students, with 97 percent of
schools having Internet
connections.

10. Some traditional and educational technology tools
include: the chalkboard, overhead projector or
classroom maps and globes.
Today, we think of computers, the internet mobile
computing, electronic books, among others.

11. What can I do with it?
Educational technology is more than just tools.
Teachers can design, deliver, facilitate and manage
instruction for global learners of all ages.
 With these tools and techniques you can improve and
enhance student’s learning.

12. Bibliography…
 “School Technology in Education” [online].
http://www.answers.com/topic/school-technology-in-education
 What is Educational Technology? — Presentation Transcript
http://www.slideshare.net/joh5700/what-is-educational-technology
 What is educational technology by By M.D. Roblyer|A. H. Doering http://www.education.com/
reference/article/what-educational-technology/
 Youtube: How to teach English with technology http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
gGY2cwWC8Ag
 Wikipedia, Educational Technology
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Educational_technology