Links between learning and technology throughout history.

The relationship between technology and learning goes back 2,500 years, (Bates, 2014) from the use of rudimentary tools and paints by earth’s earliest inhabitants, to the expanse of digital platforms and technology tools available today. The concept that recurred for me as I researched the history of technology in the education field was a simple one: the effective transfer of knowledge requires mutually accessible and adopted communication tools.

The introduction of the printing press in the 15th century allowed increased access to written knowledge, thereby backing-up standard oral communication practices (Bates, 2014). Advances to transportation infrastructure in the 19th century further facilitated information sharing through improved channels such as the postal system. As new technologies including radio in the 1920s and television in the 1960s emerged, so did new opportunities for education. However, just as the lack of transportation infrastructure limited the exchange of knowledge before the 19th century, many challenges restricted pervasive uptake of radio and television as education tools, including the lack of available electricity, high costs and local language and cultural issues (Bates, 2014).

World War II significantly impacted uptake in use of technology in education through the development of audiovisual devices, widely used by governmental agencies to train troops both during the war and later in the workplace (Reiser, 2001). The launch of the World Wide Web in 1991 and improvements to user experience provided by search engines such as Google in 1999, further shifted the adoption of technology, both in education and in daily life (Bates, 2014).

In reflecting on this research, the posts of fellow cohort members and my own experiences using technology for learning, I grow to appreciate that technology-based learning environments are not effective on their own. As the field continues to grow, learners must be supported to adopt technological advances in relation to their abilities, communication styles and perspectives around technological learning environments (Lowyck, 2014). Instructional designers must also continually consider and incorporate evolutions in learning theory, with the goal of supporting learners to success.

References
Bates, T. (2014). A short history of educational technology. In Online learning and distance education Resources. Retrieved from https://www.tonybates.ca/2014/12/10/a-short-history-of-educational-technology/

Lowyck, J. (2014). Bridging learning theories and technology-enhanced environments: A critical appraisal of its history. In Handbook of research on educational communications and technology (pp. 3-20). Springer New York. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3185-5_1

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), 53–64. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02504506