In reaction to the history of technology in education
Jhumur Halder

Educational Technology is the entirety of ideas, methods and devices used in the process of human learning. The term instructional media has been defined as the physical means via which instruction is presented to learners. Technology in education can be divided into three eras, visual, audiovisual and computer. In the United States, the use of media for instructional purposes has been traced back to at least as early as the first decade of the twentieth century. It was at that time that school museums came into existence. Materials like stereographs (3 dimensional photographs), slides, films housed in school museums were viewed as intended to support the teacher or the text book. Besides magic lanterns (lantern slide projector), the motion picture projector was one of the first media devices used in schools. In the United States, however, educational film projected to revolutionize education. It was initially rejected, but once adopted and it was difficult to integrate.

By the early 1930s, educators assumed that radio would revolutionize education. Initially, it creates enthusiasm, but rather expensive to purchase and maintain. The radio lessons were particularly effective in raising the level of knowledge of particularly for the rural students. Language laboratories equipped with audio tape recorders and radios are always successful. After the World War II there was a renewed interest in using audiovisual devices like overhead Projectors, slide Projectors in the school. In 1958, Teaching machines appeared, but the world of education was not ready for them, they also had limitations which probably contributed to their failure. After the appearance of television, it had attracted educators as being an efficient tool for imparting education to primary, secondary and university level students. It was not successful in US schools, because of expensive installation and maintenance as well as broadcast schedules.

After the interest in instructional television faded, the next technological innovation to create a profound and radical change in the educational system was the computer. In 1980-83, computer was used in 40% in elementary, 75% in secondary schools in the US. But, by the mid 1990s, that impact had been rather small. Since 1995, rapid advances in computer and other digital technology, as well as the Internet, have led to a rapidly increasing interest in, and use of, these media for instructional purposes. Although the number of computers in schools has been increasing, most of the computers are quite limited in terms of the software they can run and in terms of internet access available to students. Good news is that the Internet has been viewed as a means of providing instruction and information to widely dispersed learners at a relatively low cost. In 2001, 99% of public schools in the US had access to the internet. In conclusion, computer is the most successful instructional media for the school, but, the rate of change of technology as well as expenses create problem for teacher and students to keep up with the changes.

Reference
Reiser R. A. (2001). A history of instructional design and technology: part I: A history of instructional media: Educational Technology, Research and Development; 49, 1; Research Library, (53-62)

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