The History of Computers in School

Since the 1960s, computer usage in American schools has grown tremendously. As recently as the 1980s, few teachers knew how or were willing to use computers, and, today, almost every teacher in the nation has a computer in his classroom. In their infancy, computers were used in schools only to teach about programming, but current curriculum ensures that all students have experience on computers in many subjects, from games that teach multiplication tables to Internet-based research projects.

Early Computers

Computers of the 1950s and 1960s, featuring a mainframe host configuration, were not widely accepted in schools because it was difficult and expensive to house the huge machines in schools or share them with universities. With the Cold War in full swing, U.S. legislators recognized the need for technological advancement and increased funding for technology in schools, according to Everett Murdock's 2004 article, "History of Computers in Education."

Advances in the 1960s and 1970s

In 1965, mainframes and minicomputers were placed in some schools, but mostly for administrators. Two years later, school vocational programs began teaching computer maintenance. According to Catherine Schifter's 2008 article, "A Brief History of Computers, Computing in Education, and Computing in Philadelphia Schools," computers were often used in the 1960s for computer-assisted instruction. CAI was developed by Gordon Pask, and it allowed the computer to act as instructor in basic skills, but teachers were skeptical of the new medium. Murdock writes that in 1975, many Apple I computers were donated to schools and some schools adopted mainframes and minicomputers.

Computer Use Grows in the 1980s

In the early 1980s, the programming language LOGO was developed by Seymour Papert to teach computer science concepts. At this time, according to Schifter, very little educational software was available. Most teachers didn't have access to a computer, and very few knew how to operate them. As computer technology became more prominent in the business world, it became obvious that students needed to become computer literate, which meant learning computing languages such as LOGO and BASIC. In 1983, the National Commission on Excellence in Education recommended computer science as one of five new requirements for high school graduation.

New Education Software

For the next few years, computer use was limited to teaching computer literacy in secondary schools in a computer lab with one teacher. Schifter writes that most other teachers didn't know how to use the computers and students didn't use them in other subjects. Software was developed for elementary students to quiz on facts or perform simple math drills, for example, but not for higher-level thinking activities. According to Murdock, Apple II Computers found widespread acceptance in education in 1983, and Apple developed computer-based tutorials and learning games. In 1984, the Apple Works suite was introduced and featured word processing, spreadsheet, database, paint and drawing applications. This new software could be used by students in a variety of subjects, such as typing essays, organizing data and illustrating work.

1990s Advancements

In the early 1990s, laserdiscs emerged, and textbook companies often paired books with laserdiscs featuring video clips, images or diagrams to accompany material. By this time, high school typing classes transitioned from typewriters to computers. According to Murdock, schools started using the Internet widely in 1995, and the following year, new graphics and multimedia tools were developed for delivering information and instruction using the Internet. Soon, schools began rewiring for Internet access.

Growth in Computer Usage

Since the early 1980s, statistics show that computer usage in schools has grown remarkably. According to Schifter, the percentage of American schools with at least one computer rose from 18 percent in 1981 to 95 percent in 1987. In 1983, 40 percent of elementary schools and 75 percent of secondary schools used computers for instruction. By 1985, 1 million schools had computers. By 1995, there were 5.8 million computers in schools in the U.S. In 2003, 100 percent of American schools had access to the Internet. Schifter writes that, although the access to computers has risen sharply, the time most students spend on computers at school hasn't changed much, since their primary access is still in computer labs or libraries. The No Child Left Behind education mandates of 2001 require all students to be computer literate by the eighth grade.

Tight Budgets

For as long as computers have been used in schools, there has been one recurring problem, according to Schifter. The first school computers had no hard drive and very little memory, so they couldn't manage new software. Because computer technology is an ever-advancing industry, it's been hard for schools to keep up. Each time computing power or technology increases, it's ahead of the capacity and budgets of public schools, leaving them with outdated models and software. Schifter also reports that up-to-date computers are more likely to be found in affluent, suburban schools. Poorer inner-city or rural schools usually have older models.

References

• History of Computers in Education
• A Brief History of Computers, Computing in Education, and Computing in Philadelphia Schools