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Jan 1, 1452
The Printing Press
Johannes Gutenberg invented the Printing Press. This device allowed for the mass production of literary information.
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Electricity
In June of 1752 Benjamin Franklin performed his electricity experiment in which he flew a kite with a metal string in a thunderstorm. Although the validity of this event is academically questionable, it was around this time the electricity was discovered by the academic community. It will become essential to technology in the coming centuries.
(http://webspace.ship.edu/hliu/etextbook/history/Edu%20Tech%20Past%20Present%20Future.pdf) -
Photography
In 1829 Louis Daquerre joined forces with Joseph Niepce to invent modern photography. The photograph would go on to be a cornerstone of technology in the classroom. It allows for images to be shared, which greatly facilitates learning of information.
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Educational Film
What is thought to be the first educational film was shown in 1902 by Charles Urban. He used film to show plant growth, animals, and even undersea images. Film is an essential piece of modern educational technology and has allowed for learning to occur at a rapid pace in the 20th century -
The Computer
Although the first computer would not come until a later date it was in 1936 that English mathematician Alan Turing theorized the first "computable device". Link Text -
The Internet
The technology that would later go on to become the internet was created by UCLA and Stanford scientists in 1969 as a solution to the threat of a Soviet missile knocking out American telephone lines. The internet would be the greatest invention, with regards to the spread of information, for the classroom. The technology allows for students and teachers to easily access libraries of information from nearly any location. -
Microsoft Office
Microsoft Office revolutionized the capacity for students and teachers to present their information efficiently. The original Microsoft Office contained Word, Powerpoint, and Excel. Although their early forms were shadows of their modern iterations this step greatly impact the way in which educational information was presented.
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The Smart Phone
The smart phone is the epitome of educational technology. It is a computer in the hands of its owner. In the classroom smartphones are being used to look up information, communicate with teachers, participate in interactive classroom activities, and so much more. The modern smart phone has no established date of creation, however the most popular and widely-used one is the Apple iPhone.
