When does technology become obsolete? Your answer probably depends upon on your perspective on how the technology is used and if it is still being used.  As an educator, having traveled through the past three decades, I have been exposed to a plethora of technological devices.  When I first began teaching, educators were still using the chalkboard, ditto machines, and filmstrip projectors.  Over the years, technology has not only transformed the way I teach, it has transformed my life.        

            In the 1950’s Roger Appledorn, a 3M research scientist, designed a machine to project writing from transparent film. Educators who saw its potential began to use them in the classroom until the emergence of LCD’s in the 1980’s (Morgan, 2012).  Due to its size, weight, and portability, teachers could easily transport it from one location to another. An attachment of transparency film made it easy for teachers to turn the handle to expose a clear piece of film for instruction. The emergence of Vis-a-Vis markers allowed teachers to clean off the film with just water and a paper towel.  In 1969, an inventor named Gene Dolgoff was searching for a way to design a projector with a brighter display; fifteen years later he achieved his goal by designing a display unit using clear liquid crystal. Four years later, this technology began to emerge (Tsivkin, R 2012).  With the emergence of LCD projectors in many of today’s classroom, this emerging technology has quickly replaced the overhead projector. 

            LCD projectors work in tandem with interactive white board, such as the SMART Board and Promethean Board which allow teachers and students to be able to actively engage in the lesson.  Other devices which also give the LCD projector some versatility is the document camera and student response systems.  With the document camera, you can project an image so that everyone in the classroom can see what you are looking at.  This is extremely useful for science labs, analyzing student work, and projecting images – such as a photograph from a textbook.  The student response systems allow students to get academic feedback quickly as their answers are projected onto the interactive whiteboard; from there, she can quickly monitor and adjust the lesson as needed based on the data that is received. 

            Dr. Thornburg (2009a) reminds us that the awareness of the emergence of technology must also come with the awareness of how it will impact instruction.  Another factor which must be considered is the cost; technology that is just emerging is significantly higher than technology which has already emerged.  In the end, no matter whether the technology is obsolete or emerging, the “landscape of educational technology” will have forever be changed (Thornburg, 2009a).  

References:

Morgan, H. (2012). History of the overhead projector. Retrieved on September 14, 2012 from http://www.ehow.com/about_5345030_history-overhead-projector.html

Thornburg, D. D. (2009a). Current trends in educational technology. Lake Barrington, IL: Thornburg Center for Space Exploration.

Thornburg, D. D. (2009b). When is a technology emergent? Lake Barrington, IL: Thornburg Center for Space Exploration.

Tsivkin, R (2012). About LCD projectors.  Retrieved on September 14, 2012 from http://www.ehow.com/about_4740803_lcd-projectors.html