From The Verge · David Pierce · · 1m
How overhead projectors changed school forever
A military technology that let teachers face the class transformed education and discipline in ways we still live with today.
In brief
A military technology that let teachers face the class transformed education and discipline in ways we still live with today. Version History podcast explores how overhead projectors, originally military tech, revolutionized classrooms by letting teachers face students while presenting material. Originally reported by…
The problem with chalkboards
Teachers writing at the chalkboard had their backs to students, making it easy for kids to misbehave without getting caught. This changed everything.
“It used to be so easy to get away with things in school. The teacher, after all, was always turned around writing at the chalkboard!”
Military tech enters the classroom
The overhead projector, originally developed for military purposes, allowed teachers to face their students while displaying material on a screen behind them.
Version History explores the impact
David Pierce, Jake Kastrenakes and Stanford professor Antero Garcia discuss how overhead projectors were developed, entered classrooms and changed learning itself.
What replaced the overhead projector
PowerPoint presentations, computer screens and smart boards eventually replaced overhead projectors, but the podcast questions whether these replacements actually improved on the original technology.
Here's the gist
Version History podcast explores how overhead projectors, originally military tech, revolutionized classrooms by letting teachers face students while presenting material.
