Evolution of Edtech Infographic

Learn the Evolution of Edtech with this Infographic

Ever wondered about the evolution of edtech? Well, this infographic I found on Twitter will give you the answers! I watch social media closely and it's my job to share some of the hot topics on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and other outlets that teachers, principals, students, and parents are contributing.

Education Technology posted an informative infographic about the evolution of edtech on their Twitter account recently. I found it pretty interesting and thought that you might too. It starts way back in the 60s, 1860s that is, and goes all the way into future predictions. From a one-room schoolhouse to predictions of virtual reality learning. You can see the infographic posted below.

Not a lot happened between 1860 and 1920 technology-wise. In 1920 though, the United States had just won World War I and became an economic powerhouse with resources to spare. Inventions during this time, such as the automobile, made business more efficient and profitable. Before inventions like the car, it would've been rather hard to take all of your kids to a different school building based on their age class. But things don't really start to pick up until the 1950s. This comes right after aliens supposedly crash landed in Roswell, New Mexico in 1947, and the United States government got their hands on “alien technology.” Or, you know, World War II had something to do with it. Yet again, the United States became an economic powerhouse after a world war that was followed by a technology boom that benefited everyone, including schools. The further the timeline goes on, the closer together the years become as schools continue to include more and more tech in their classrooms.

I found a few things interesting about this timeline. 1972 seems like a particularly big year for edtech as both scantrons and the handheld calculator were introduced. We still use both of those items in school on a regular basis, though there is some recent backlash against scantrons in some areas. I also find it strange that the World Wide Web only became available to schools in the 1990s. The internet has sure come a long way in a short span of time. I also like their future prediction. I've seen more than one person discussing virtual reality on Twitter and it seems like it really could be the next big trend in edtech.

What do you think is the next big trend in edtech? What interesting things did you notice about this timeline? What do you think explains the periods of no advancement vs the eras of massive advancement? Do  you really think aliens crash landed in Roswell? Talk to me!

Tori Pakizer is the Social Media Editor at SimpleK12.com. She writes regularly about the use of educational technology in K-12 classrooms, and specializes in how teachers use Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and other social media. You can follow Tori and SimpleK12 on Twitter @SimpleK12. If you have ideas for using social media in schools, please send your information or tip to editor@simplek12.com.