Lauren Domecki, Timeline critique

When I first looked at the title of the timeline, ÒLearning Technologies,Ó I wasnÕt exactly sure what I would find. I started by defining what I thought a learning technology was as Òanything that aids in the process of learningÓ. Many of the entries are self-explanatory. I would have expected these automatically. These types of entries include cave paintings and the establishment of the first university. I did not even click on the link because it was obvious to me why events like these would be important learning technologies.

There were entries that I at first thought were absurd, but after clicking on the link and reading more, I was impressed that someone would have thought to add it to the list. One of these entries was the slinky. At first I was completely confused why someone had put a simple childÕs toy on the list. Then I read that it is ÒNot only a toy, the Slinky is an affordable and fun tool used to demonstrate the laws of physics, including waveforms, centripetal force, and velocity studies.Ó Another entry that I was surprised was included was Edison perfecting the light bulb. I was curious why someone would have put it on the list until I read Ò24 hrs a day - more light, more learning.Ó Having light available all the time is something that all of us take for granted. How hard would it be to pull an all-nighter illuminated by a candle? I think that entries like the slinky and light bulb make the timeline complete and useful because it goes beyond what most people would consider Òlearning technologies,Ó yet these items are just as important as the computer.

I thought that the future events on the time line were the most interesting. Some of them were scary (Last reader dies in hospital) because I hope that technology never comes this far. I personally think that (fictional) e-books are pointless, and this makes me hesitent towards accepting some technological Òadvancements.Ó There were others that I though were well thought out because I can definitely see these events happening in the future. In 2015, the time line introduces ÒDigital Movie Purchase and Rental.Ó I thought the person that added this was clever because it is something that I see as feasible in the near future.

I believe this time line would be useful in a classroom environment because it reminds everyone of the now ÒsimpleÓ technologies that emerged before computers. Many people only consider computers and other electric devices when they think of technology. This time line reminds us of the giant steps that were taken before ÒcomputerÓ was even a word. In class we discussed the possibility that the technological advancements from the distant past (telegraph, telephone, railroad) were more significant than the more recent advancements (computers, internet). I believe this is true. The postal system, railroad, and telegraph were the first real Ònetworks.Ó

One of the major discoveries I had when examining the timeline was that so many of the technologies were communicating devices (chalk, telephone) rather than obvious learning tools (TIS graphing calculator). I found this significant because people often forget where learning really comes from. While I may read articles online and complete web quizzes for one of my classes, these learning tools are set up and created by my teacher. I believe that people are the most important learning tool. There are two main reasons I think this is true. First of all, the great technological advances we have made happened because of well-educated people. Second, I believe that people make the best teachers. A computer could not have taught me to ride a bike or the difference between right and wrong. As the timeline demonstrates, heightened communication between people was the original learning technology. Newspapers made it possible for everyone in the nation to learn about what was going on in the country and the world. I recently learned in my LIS 350 class that the wide circulation of newspapers also influenced an increase in literacy in the United States. The television was invented for communication and entertainment, but 33 years ago one of the hugest learning tools for underprivileged children whose parents could not afford pre-school debuted- Sesame Street. I think the timeline really is complete because it includes the many communicative as well as learning technologies

Overall I thought the timeline was interesting and well thought out. I think that it serves as a useful learning tool, and if I knew how to create a website, I would add the timeline itself to the list.

page last updated: Spring, 2002