My Technology Timeline by

The time the TV blew up

beyondthebook13 — 2025-03-21 04:10:15 UTC

Having TVs with channels in school was a new thing in the 1980s. While not used regularly in the classroom, the Challenger spaceship take-off was shown to children around the United States on January 26, 1986. It was shocking to the kids to see it blow up in real time.

Times tables or TIME tables?

beyondthebook13 — 2025-03-21 04:13:48 UTC

In the 1970s, students weren't allowed to use calculators in the classroom. However, some students sneaked them in, in the form of calculator watches. Most were made by the company Casio, and were marketed to students of all ages.

Video games with words?

beyondthebook13 — 2025-03-21 04:19:06 UTC

Kaypro computers were very popular with the youth, coming out in 1982. They couldn't do much, but to the youth of the time, they were everything! These little computers could write documents, program, and best of all, could be used to play text-based games! They were a big deal to the next generation of gamers.

Is that a spool of thread or a movie?

beyondthebook13 — 2025-03-21 04:23:32 UTC

Movie projectors were a big hit in the 1960s, especially to kids who were used to sitting with a pen and paper at a desk. Many kids looked forward to the educational videos that were shown on the spools of film that were provided to the class. However, if the video was too long, they sometimes had to get out a second spool of film, and the projector could be hard to operate. Or sometimes the teachers couldn't even find the second spool and the kids were left wondering!

Click clack

beyondthebook13 — 2025-03-21 04:25:57 UTC

Electric typewriters were a hot commodity in schools in the 1950s and 1960s. The best part? You could use carbon paper to make multiple copies of your typing! A huge advancement for the time. Instead of having to type the same thing 50 times, you now only had to type it 25!

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's an overhead projector!

beyondthebook13 — 2025-03-21 04:28:55 UTC

Using a system of mirrors, light, and technology, students were able to learn from teachers with overhead projectors! This was a big thing in the 1960s because it meant that teachers could write more comfortably, and students could see more easily. Just put the paper down, plug in the projector, and turn on the light!

Video games in school!

beyondthebook13 — 2025-03-21 04:34:44 UTC

In the early 1990s, computer labs became a thing! The students loved it because it was new, the teachers loved it because the students were busy, and all was well. The students weren't taught to type, but they did play educational games! Some of these games included math and letter learning.