--- title: Education's Technological Landscape Has Changed description: Technology has always been a part of education, but as years went, its importance increased exponentially. image: https://info.echo360.com/hubfs/DS_Photos/iStock_000026672658_Small.jpg --- [Skip to content](https://info.echo360.com/a-brief-history-of-how-educations-technological-landscape-has-changed#main-content) # Echo360 - Uses - [ Higher Education ](https://echo360.com/uses/) - [ Continuing Medical Education ](https://echo360.com/continuing-education/) - Platform - [ Video ](https://echo360.com/platform/enterprise-video/) - [ Engagement ](https://echo360.com/platform/student-engagement) - [ Analytics ](https://echo360.com/platform/analytics) - [Stories ](https://echo360.com/stories) - Connect - [ Blog ](https://echo360.com/blog) - [ News ](https://echo360.com/connect/news) - [ Events ](https://echo360.com/connect/events) - [ Support ](https://echo360.com/customer-portal-login/) - [ Contact ](https://echo360.com/connect/contact) - [Login ](https://echo360.org/login?afterLoginUrl=%2Fhome) - [Documentation ](https://absolut.kohorta.co/documentation) # Education's Technological Landscape Has Changed by [Echo360](https://info.echo360.com/author/echo360) on May 4, 2015 With the advent of mobile devices, laptops, and extended education spanning the educational landscape, it's easy to think that technology is a new player in the world of education, but this couldn't be farther from the truth. In fact, technology has been part of education since the days of the one-room schoolhouse. Here's a quick look at how technology in the classroom has changed and evolved over the years. ## ![iStock_000026672658_Small](https://info.echo360.com/hubfs/DS_Photos/iStock_000026672658_Small.jpg) ## The Early 1900s - Introduction of Technology In the early 1900s, the one-room schoolhouse was a common form of education as the nation was just starting to value the idea of public education. The first signs of technology were in the form of radios, which made their debut in penmanship, history, and math lessons in the 1920s. These were followed by overhead projectors, a technology that started with the military, and by 1933 over half of the nation's schools were using silent films to supplement education. Television appeared in the classroom in 1938, solidifying the role of technology in the classroom. ## The Late 1900s - Technology for Students As the country moved into the second half of the 1900s, the technology moved from learning aids used by instructors to tools that helped students. In 1964, BASIC was developed to provide students with a programming language, and in 1967 Texas Instruments developed the first handheld calculator. Scantrons, which automatically graded tests, entered the classroom in 1972. As computer usage became more widespread across the nation, it became clear in the 1980s that students needed typing instruction. The Macintosh computer debuted in 1984, and then Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing hit the classrooms in 1985. When the laptop was created in 1988, the future role of technology in the classroom was solidified. ## Technology in Today's Classroom Today, technology, including everything from SMART boards, which debuted in 1991, and mobile technology, which is embraced by 90 percent of students under the age of 18, has become the foundation, in many ways, of modern education. With programs like [Echo360](http://www.echo360.com/) making it easier to tap into that technology, modern educators and students alike have access to the technology they need to make the educational experience better for all involved. Photo: ©[iStock.com](http://www.istockphoto.com/photo/computer-26672658?st=dfdc450)/anyaberkut Spread the word: [Share this blog post on Twitter ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=I+found+this+interesting+blog+post&url=https://info.echo360.com/a-brief-history-of-how-educations-technological-landscape-has-changed) [Share this blog post on Facebook ](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://info.echo360.com/a-brief-history-of-how-educations-technological-landscape-has-changed) [Share this blog post on LinkedIn ](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://info.echo360.com/a-brief-history-of-how-educations-technological-landscape-has-changed) ![Echo360](https://info.echo360.com/hubfs/Echo360_Logo.png) #### Echo360 Follow me on my website Follow me on Facebook Follow me on LinkedIn Follow me on Twitter We’re passionate about teaching and learning! 3M+ students love our active learning technology for a more collaborative, social and engaging college experience. ### Leave a comment: ## Related Articles [![](https://info.echo360.com/hs-fs/hub/16036/file-1587311412.jpg) ](https://info.echo360.com/transforming-higher-education-the-future-is-now) ### [Transforming Higher Education – The Future is Now](https://info.echo360.com/transforming-higher-education-the-future-is-now) by [Fred Krazeise](https://info.echo360.com/author/fred-krazeise) [![](https://info.echo360.com/hubfs/DS_Photos/iStock_000042677610_Small.jpg) ](https://info.echo360.com/traditional-to-cutting-edge-how-technology-is-shaping-the-educational-landscape) ### [How Technology is Shaping the Educational Landscape](https://info.echo360.com/traditional-to-cutting-edge-how-technology-is-shaping-the-educational-landscape) Is technology based teaching the wave of the future? 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