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Apr 12, 1400
Horn Book
Used in classrooms for about 400 hundred years, it was the primary way to teach students the alphabet and religious texts. They were personalized and were hung from a child's belt, because of course, there were no bookbags. -
Magic Lantern
This is the earliest form of a projecter where images were printed or painted on sheets of glass and then displayed with a candle. -
School Slate
This invention led to the invention of the blackboard later down the line. It was revolutionary because it substituted costly paper and pencil, and allowed students to practice on it individually. -
Black Board
James Pillans, a geography teacher from Scotland, is credited with inventing the first modern blackboard when he hung a large piece of slate on the classroom wall. In America, the first use of a wall-mounted blackboard occurred at West Point in the classroom of instructor George Baron. -
Stereoscope
As the stereoscope gained popularity, it began seeping into classrooms used for a variety of instructional purposes. One of the purposes claimed to convey the basics of "economic geography." -
Radio
This invention revolutionized public access to education and knowledge. Professors and professionals could broadcast lectures and information without face-to-face interaction. -
Film Projector
Projectors were used to show educational films in the classroom. They allowed teachers to pause presentations for class discussions by turning a knob, and the projectors were widely used in classrooms until VCRs replaced them in the 1980s -
Overhead Projector
Initially used by the U.S. military for training purposes in World War II and in bowling alleys, overhead projectors quickly spread to schools and other organizations around the country. It was used until the late 20th century. -
Calculator
The invention that revolutionized math in education is obvious. Not only did it automatically calculate basic math problems, but it was handheld and portable. Its technology only continues to improve.
