Innovation

Photos: Education technologies from the 1900s

By // May 14, 2018, 8:21 AM PST

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  • Magic lantern projector

    Educational practices have benefited from advances in technology for most of human history, often providing spaces and conditions for innovative leaps in science. Here are some of the technologies used to advance education in the past.

    Magic lanterns were the first image projectors used in education, allowing teachers to display large images to entire classrooms.

    Image: Museums Victoria

  • Stereoscope

    Stereoscopes were initially used to provide 3D images of Civil War battle scenes, but became useful in classrooms for historical purposes. The technology uses right and left eye photos to create a three-dimensional image.

    Image: National Museum of American History

  • Mimeograph

    The mimeograph was the precursor to photocopiers, allowing users to make copies of documents using a stencil.

    Image: New York Historical Society

  • Linear slide rule

    Slide rules were created in the 1600s but only became widely used in education by the end of the 1800s and early 1900s. They were originally used for construction, but were eventually produced for consumer and educational use by 1870.

    Image: Cambridge University Library Special Collections

  • Skinner teaching machine

    The creation of the Skinner Teaching Machine in 1954 coincided with a spike in desire for better schooling practices. B. F. Skinner created the machine to give students on-demand math problems, and it could churn out dozens of math equations.

    Image: National Museum of American History & Smithsonian Institution Archives

  • The handheld calculator

    The first handheld calculators for widespread consumer use were created in the 1970s. They revolutionized schooling and allowed students to handle more complex mathematical problems.

    Image: National Museum of American History & Smithsonian Institution Archives

  • Scantron

    Scantrons gained prominence in the late 1900s as an easy test grading tool. The machine is now used widely across the world to grade exams.

    Image: Scantron

  • The Plato Computer

    Created in 1960, the Plato (Programmed Logic for Automatic Teaching Operations) system was one of the first computer assisted instruction systems and is seen as a precursor to modern computers due to its pioneering of the multi-user computing experience. Scientists credit Plato for establishing screen sharing, e-mail, message boards, multiplayer games and more.

    Image: University of Illinois

  • Handheld Graphing Calculator

    Starting in 1965 and continuing through the 1970s and 1980s, handheld graphing calculators were created by Japanese company Casio Computer. The products took a massive leap forward in 1985 with the fx-7000G graphing calculator, which quickly became popular in Ohio and subsequently the rest of the US.

    Image: National Museum of American History & Smithsonian Institution Archives

  • Photocopier

    The Xerox 914 plain paper copier was built in 1959 and could make 100,000 copies per month. The product revolutionized education, allowing teachers to make copies of documents and books for entire classes.

    Also see

    Image: National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

Magic lantern projector

Educational practices have benefited from advances in technology for most of human history, often providing spaces and conditions for innovative leaps in science. Here are some of the technologies used to advance education in the past.

Magic lanterns were the first image projectors used in education, allowing teachers to display large images to entire classrooms.

Image: Museums Victoria

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By Jonathan Greig

Jonathan Greig is a freelance journalist based in New York City. He recently returned to the United States after reporting from South Africa, Jordan, and Cambodia since 2013.