History of ICT

As ICT is becoming more and more part and parcel of teaching, it would be interesting to see how ICT has developed through the last decades. This article aims at helping teachers have a general idea of the history of ICT, from the invention of the first computer up to now. We will also try to peep into the future to see how ICT will look like in the next few decades.

 A BRIEF HISTORY OF ICT

The telegraph (1837) and telephone (1876) permitted communication by wire over long distances almost instantaneously, a vast improvement over the earlier methods of rail, ship and pony express. Communication by wireless telegraph (1895), shortwave radio (1926) and then more reliable high-frequency microwave radio (1946) overcame the physical constraint of connecting every point by wire or cable. Microwave provided larger-capacity communication channels for transmitting television signals and set the stage for the development of satellites and space communication (1957). In the 1970s, mobile communication handsets were developed, as was the basic technology foundation for the Internet and the World Wide Web. Both mobile and Internet communication have grown rapidly since their introduction in the 1980s to the point where mobile access to the Internet (e.g., smartphones) is the dominant and fastest growing form of communication.