#TBT: 5 Technological Advances in Your Child’s Education

Education has always been evolving. In just the last few years, we’ve seen huge technological advances in the way our students are learning in and out of the classroom. For a fun Throwback Thursday activity, check out some of these old school tech items that used to be the norm and the modern day advancements that have replaced them.

Floppy Disks -> USB Drives and External Hard Drives

LL_TBTschool_FloppyDisks LL_TBTschool_USB

 

The obsolete floppy disk was a thin and flexible magnetic storage medium, sealed in a rectangular plastic carrier lined with fabric that prevented dust from coming in contact with it. The average floppy disk holds just over one MB. Today’s average USB can hold at least two GB (2000 MB) and are easier to carry.

Blackboards -> Smartboards

LL_TBTschool_Blackboard LL_TBTschool_Smartboard

Images via - Juraj Kubica and Pablo Garcia (Flickr CC 2.0)

Today’s classrooms are phasing out chalkboards and integrating new Smart Boards. These electronic boards serve as an interactive display and as a digital whiteboard, keeping students more engaged and eliminating all that white chalk dust.

Encyclopedias -> Google/Internet

LL_TBTschool_Encyclopedia LL_TBTschool_Google

Image via - Stewart Butterfield (Flickr CC 2.0)

Searching for information for a report or research project used to require a lot of shelf space with volumes of encyclopedias. Today’s students have the world at their fingers with access to the Internet. Having access to thousands of online resources and even being able to go on virtual field trips gives students the opportunity to learn and explore areas and places they might never get a chance to in person.

Oregon Trail -> Minecraft

LL_TBTschool_OregonTrailLL_TBTschool_Minecraft

Images via - Gameloft and Mojang

Anyone who grew up during the 90s can tell you that Oregon Trail was a major part of their life in school. Teaching students how to manage supplies and budget inventory, Oregon Trail was a major teaching tool that was used in computer classes for many years. Years have passed and video games have evolved. Today’s teachers have found benefits in using Minecraft as a source for teaching kids numerous skills. STEM, art, history, and more can be taught to kids using the fun open world of Minecraft.

GameBoy -> Apps

LL_TBTschool_GameBoyLL_TBTschool_Apps

Images via - William Warby and Traci Lawson (Flickr CC 2.0)

Released in 1989, Nintendo’s Game Boy revolutionized handheld gaming. With the advancement of smartphones, mobile gaming has opened a door to making education fun with hundreds of educational apps and games.

Related Articles

Join our community

Sign up to participate in America’s premier community focused on helping students
reach their full potential.