001+History+of+Computers

= History of Computers  = Shanita Schrock Whitney Tapman Amy Shaffer Frostburg State University Spring 2011

__**Introduction**__ In today's world, computers have become commonplace in our homes, our workplaces, and increasingly in our schools. However, computers have not always been available to us, especially in education. It has only been recently that this technology has reached common use, but there is still much more that can be learned and more applications that can be used. Where did computers come from? How have they come to be used in our schools? What are their uses now and where might they be going?

__**Four Generations of Computers**__ The history of computers can be broken down into four main generations. The first generation was developed between 1945 and1956. Different governments around the world sought to develop computers to help as a strategic move. The Germans were the first to develope a computer to help with military purposes such as airplanes and missiles (La Morte and Lilly). However, the allied forces made a greater improvement in computer technology. Then in 1943, the Colossus was the first computer used to decode German Messages. Soon to follow, IBM succeeded in producing a computer to create ballistic charts for the U.S. Navy. This was a massive computer that was estimated about half a football field and contained about 500 Miles of wiring (La Morte and Lilly). Most computers built during this time were extremely large due vacuum tubes and could only function in doing one to two tasks at a time. First generation computers each had a different binary-coded program called a machine language that told it how to operate. This made the computer difficult to program and limited its versatility and speed.

The second generation of computers was developed between 1956 and 1963. In the first generation the vacuum tube was the main reason for the computers being so large, but in the second generation that problem will be solved. The transistor replaces the vacuum tube and as a result, the size of electronic machinery has been shrinking ever since. IBM and LARC used the transistor in their computers which helped the computers handle enormous amounts of data (La Morte and Lilly). Since the second generation computers were capable of holding more information most large businesses regularly used them to process financial information. The second generation computers were the start of smaller computers that hold more information.

The third generation of computers was developed between 1964 and 1971. Though transistors were clearly an improvement over the vacuum tube, they still generated a great deal of heat, which damaged the computer's sensitive internal parts. The quartz rock was developed to help eliminate this problem. Jack Kilby, an engineer with Texas Instruments, developed the integrated circuit (IC) in 1958. The IC combined three electronic components onto a small silicon disc, which was made from quartz. Scientists later managed to fit even more components on a single chip, called a semiconductor. As a result, computers became ever smaller as more components were squeezed onto the chip (La Morte and Lilly).

The fourth generation of computers was developed between 1971 and present day. Storing information on a chip advanced quickly in this generation. First, the large scale integration (LSI) could fit hundreds of components onto one chip. Second, by the 1980's, the very large scale integration (VLSI) squeezed hundreds of thousands of components onto a chip. Finally, the Ultra-large scale integration (ULSI) increased that number into the millions. This allowed the computers to shrink significantly in size and the cost of computers to decrease. This cost decrease allowed general computers to be purchased by everyday people in the mid-1970’s (La Morte and Lilly). The first PC was developed for costumer purchase by IBM and used in many different places of business. Computers were popping up everywhere; in offices, homes, and even in schools. Computers are a big part of education in schools now and help students with their education.

**__ Computers in Education __** Though computers are a now part of our everyday lives, they were not used much at all in the classroom until the 1960s. However, in 1959, Don Bitier began the first major project for providing computers in education at the University of Illinois. Known as PLATO, the new system served undergraduates and elementary school reading (Molnar 1997). Even by 1965, computers were being mainly used by school administrators to keep records rather than to enhance student learning (Hermes 2011). From that point on the use of computers began to grow drastically. By the late seventies, computers were everywhere (Molnar 1997). People were quickly learning to depend on computers for everyday life.

For a while the main use for computers was found in secondary schools rather than the regular classroom. However, in the 1980s that trend began to change. In only six years the percentage of American schools with at least one computer rose from eighteen percent to ninety-five percent. By 2003 one hundred percent of schools in America had computers with Internet access (Hermes 2011). During this time the sheer number of computers found in schools also increased. According to Manzo (2009), the ratio of computers to students in public schools in 1983 was 1 to 125. This seems very small when compared to the study done on the 2005-06 school year in which the ratio of computers to students was 1 to 3.8.

During this time, the use of computers was growing not only in size, but also in effectiveness. Computers were originally used only as databases for the administration to keep records. They were not widely used as teaching tools because they were expensive and did not fit in with the teacher-centered education system that was most commonly used. It took advances in education styles as well as computer technology for computers in education to become prominent. Software was soon developed to allow students to do math drills on the computer, but this did not allow for any higher thinking skills; the students just put in a standard answer (Hermes 2011).

Today computers are much more easily accessible as education tools and are used much more readily in the actual teaching process. For those who still want to have a teacher-centered classroom there is the Smartboard. Basically, this is a blackboard-sized touch-screen computer which can be used interactively by a teacher to enhance the lesson. Power points and lessons can be prepared to present to the class in a fun, interactive way. The Internet has also greatly enhanced the use of computers in education. Students are now able to search topics themselves to supplement what they are learning in class. They can communicate with other students around the world through things like e-mail and Skype. Linda Starr (2000) says that programs like KidPix, Math Blaster, and Reading Blaster are excellent ways to make learning fun for children. Through these programs students can take part in learning projects that they will remember for a lifetime.

The future of education appears bright with the promise of even more technology use. As computers are becoming more and more important in everyday life, it is important for students to learn how to use them in the classroom and it appears that this is well on its way to happening. All this has come about in only the last forty years. What an amazing history we see in the evolution of computers in education!

__ ** Present/Future Computers ** __ With the advancement of technology, computers are changing to support the new programs and to become more diverse to suit the hungry minds of human beings. Unlike computers of the past, today’s computers are becoming smaller and their memory is expanding. Computers are becoming indispensible in today’s age because of how much we depend on them to store information and to keep in touch with family and friends. With the Internet we can stay connected to people on the other side of the world for free and we can take classes without even leaving our bedrooms.

Computers today are not only getting smaller, they are also are getting faster, holding much more information, and becoming cheaper (//The Future of Computers//). Present day computers include laptops, iPads, Macs, etcetera. Another present day computer, which is in almost every American household, is the game console (Solca). This computer is mostly used for playing video games, but as new technology comes out, this computer allows people to play video games against people on the other side of the world, watch movies, make videos, and even get homework done!

The future is looking bright when it comes to computers. For example, computers have been put in cars (Team C0113882) to navigate travel routes, check for nearby shopping and restaurants, and to contact police/insurance when accidents occur. Smart Houses (where computers control security and heating/cooling, etcetera) are also becoming more popular (Team C0113882). Also, computers are becoming more advanced in the areas of DNA. It has not been perfected yet, but scientists are working with computers and DNA to trace the beginnings of human origins, getting closer to finding that missing link (//The Future of Computers//).

Some people may say that as computer technology increases, the need for human labor decreases. This is because with computer techonology comes the idea of robots and artificial intelligence. The idea of robots is to have something that can do the work that is extremely to dangerous for humans to do (//The Future of Computers)//. Robots are not m eant to make life more complicated for us, they are wanted to enhance our lives and provide valuable services (//The Future of Computers//). Computers enhance our lives and the future for computers is looking bright with quantum computers (will be useful with scientific research and even making predictions for stock market activity), robot technology, and nanotechnology (process whereby matter is manipulated at the atomic level, providing the ability to “build” objects from their most basic parts) (//The Future of Computers).// Our future is becoming more dependent on technology as computer abilities expand and with computers in the classroom our minds expand at a faster rate as well.

__**Closing**__ Computers have definitely come a long way in the past years. Their use has increased drastically in all walks of life, but especially in the classroom. We can be assured that this improvement will continue in future years. From their origins as simple calculators to their advancements into the cyber world of the Internet, computers have greatly impacted everyday life. This impact is making its way into the classroom, in how students learn and get involved in learning activities. It will be exciting to watch the advancements in the future.

__** Works Cited **__ Hermes, A. (2011). The History of C omputers in School. //eHow//. Retrieved from []

Manzo, K. (2009). Computers in the Classroom, Then and Now. //Education Week//. Retrieved from []

LaMorte, C, & Lilly, J. (n.d.). //Computers: history and development//. Retrieved from []

Solca, Bogdan. (2006, December 04). //The Computer Revolution - Past// // Achievements, Present Revelations, Future Insights (part 3) //. Retrieved from []

Starr, L. (2000). Computer Resources for Primary Grades. //Education World//. Retrieved from []

Picture retrieved from [].

Finalized March 15, 2011



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NOTES

Whitney Tapman

1) [] This article gives a list of dates and years (1780-2008) when computers were introduced to education. There are important dates when the computers were first used in the schools and other significant dates.

2) [] This article provides information of computer history and development. There are five generations described. The first generation is from 1945-1956, the second generation is from 1956-1963, the third generation is from 1964-1971, the forth generation is from 1971- present, and the last generation is from present- beyond.

3) [] This article gives a list of dates from 1936-1994 on computers and how they were developed. Different inventors were mentioned and every date is provided with a picture for reference.

Work Cited:

//History, the history of computers, and the history of computers in education//. (n.d.). Retrieved from []

LaMorte, C, & Lilly, J. (n.d.). //Computers: history and development//. Retrieved from []

//Computer history museum- timeline of computers//. (2006). Retrieved from []

1) [] In this article, Josh and Patrick show a quick history of where computers came from. They include a timeline for a lot of the major events in computer history. Part of their article is devoted to advancements in the computer technology itself, dividing computers into four "generations." They give a summary of what parts are used in each of the different generations as well as what these computers are mainly used for. They also show a brief history of the Internet and how it developed from the ARPANET of the late 1960s. This seems like a well-documented reference considering that it was created by highschoolers.
 * Shanita Schrock**

2) [] In this article, the author shows the advancement of counting and calculating from people simply using their fingers to using the abacus to modern-day computers. While it does give details about early calculating machines it tends to focus on the technicalities of modern-day computers, talking about the bit. It gives a fairly in-depth view of the bit considering that the article was first published to a magazine in 2005. This seems to be a good reference with a lot of good, accurate information.

3) [] John Kopplin shows us the history of computers in this article. Like the other articles I reviewed he starts with the abacus and works his way up to modern computers. However, it is much more interesting to read because along with his descriptions of the computers that were built he also has pictures. He describes the size and memory of early computers compared to today's computers and shows pictures of the machines. This compare and contrast increases interest because it makes what you are reading more relevant to today. He gives some details about how the computers worked and makes it interesting by pulling in tid-bits of information about completely different topics, like a science fiction movie made during the times of early computers.

WORKS CITED: 1) Josh & Patrick. History. Retrieved 1 Feb 2011 from []

2) History of computers. (2005). //Spider Magazine.// Retrieved 1 Feb 2011 from []

3)Kopplin, J. (2002). An illustrated history of computers. //Computer Science Lab//, Retrieved 1 Feb 2011 from []

Amy Shaffer [] This website talks a lot about the ENIAC machine which was the first considerable computer. It also is about the decades leading up to the invention of the ENIAC and the inventions of things that went into making the ENIAC. [] This website also give information on the History of Computers, but the main page has more of a summary of the history of computers. It then has a sidebar that has different topics that go into more detail on the subject. For example, it has computer history, apple computers, computer hardware, etc.

[] This website gives information on computers during the past ten years. It gives a summary of computers from the Y2K scare to the wii gaming system. It is a good site because most of the sites I found did not go past the 1990s.

Works Cited 1) //Computer history 2000 to today //. (2011). Retrieved from []  //2) The History of Computers //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">. (n.d.). Retrieved from <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; letter-spacing: 1.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">[] <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; letter-spacing: 1.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">3) Oak, Manali. (2011). //Evolution of computers//. Retrieved from [] media type="custom" key="9362498"

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