Educational technology in way could be traced back to the emergence
of very early tools, e.g., paintings on cave walls. But usually its history is
made to start with educational film (1900's) or Sidney Pressey's mechanical
teaching machines in the 1920'.
Particularly in recent
years, technology has changed from being a peripheral factor to becoming more
central in all forms of teaching. Nevertheless, arguments about the role
of technology in education go back at least 2,500 years. To understand
better the role and influence of technology on teaching, we need a little
history, because as always there are lessons to be learned from history. Paul Settler's
‘The Evolution of American Educational Technology’ (1990) is one of the most
extensive historical accounts, but only goes up to 1989. A lot has happened
since then. I’m giving you here the postage stamp version, and a personal
one at that.
First large scale usage of new technologies can be traced to US
WWII training of soldiers through training films and other mediated materials.
Today, presentation-based technology, based on the idea that people can learn
contents trough aural and visual reception, exists in many forms, e.g.,
streaming audio and video, PowerPoint presentations + voice-over. Another
interesting invention of the 1940's was hypertext, i.e., V. Bush's memes.
The 1980's and 1990's produced a variety of schools that can be put
under the umbrella of the label Computer-based learning (CBL).
Frequently based on constructivist and cognitivist learning
theories, these environments focused on teaching both abstract and
domain-specific problem solving. Preferred technologies were micro-worlds
(computer environments were learners could explore and build), simulations (computer
environments where learner can play with parameters of dynamic systems) and
hypertext.