Audio and Video: Evolving Technologies in the Classroom

WOW!  I can barely remember the audio and video technologies used when I was in school! No kidding!  I did not attend middle school…I attended elementary, junior high, and high school. 

Old School Record Player

Regarding audio technologies, I remember the cassette player and the record player.  During devotion, our teacher would play music on either the cassette player or record player and we would sing song after song after song.  Also during lunch hour, our teacher would let us play “our” music, so we could dance, dance, dance…that was so much fun!  I realize now she that was letting us burn off that energy; we would be so calm and happy that we had that opportunity...a win-win situation. The evolution of audio technology can be described as follows:  from records and record players; to CDs and CD players; to MP3 players, and iPods.  Today, music is available online, for example, Pandora, via the computer, tablets and mobile phones.  One can still purchase CDs in stores, but the convenience of downloading music is unbeatable.

 

Reel-to-reel Movie Projector

I vaguely remember watching movies and hearing the reels spinning after the movie ended.  The teacher would start the film projector and leave the room. After the movie ended, the reels just kept spinning and spinning while the film made a flapping noise.  We were not about to stop that projector!  We also watched VHS tapes on an old television.  The evolution of video technology can be described as follows:   from film and movie projectors, to cathode ray televisions (CRTs) and video home system (VHS) tapes, to CDs/DVDs and computers/DVD players, to iPods, to High Definition (HD) televisions, to Blu-ray DVDs/movies and Blu-ray DVD players, and to flat screen televisions.  One can also watch movies online, for example, YouTube, via the computer, tablets, and mobile phones.  Although DVDs are still a hot commodity, movies (Netflix) can be watched on a smart television that has direct access to the Internet.

   

Technology is steadily evolving and will continue to evolve.  Regarding television/movie technology, 3D exists and the brand new 4K/ Ultra High Definition is just coming on the scene.