The Evolution Of Technology And The World Wide Web
The Evolution Of The Internet As An Educational Tool: A Brief History
To gain an understanding of just how the Internet as ‘we’ know it today has impacted learning, we have to look first look at its development.
Beginning as a military tool in 1958, the U.S. developed and funded a program named “ARPA”. ARPA, or the Advanced Research Projects Agency, was created to expand U.S. science and technology in the shadow of the Soviet launch of Sputnik (1). This program further developed throughout the cold war era to become ARPANET in the late 1960’s. The purpose of ARPANET was to link multiple computers over a network of telephone lines. Cycling acronyms, between ARPANET and DARPANET (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), the creation of this network lay the foundation for the modern internet.
ARPANET originally connected 5 sites; UCLA, Stanford, UC Santa Barbara, the University of Utah and BBN. In 1983, the U.S. Military created a spin off called MILNET (Military Network). This network was developed to carry unclassified information. As ARPANET continued to grow, linking 1,000 hosts in both university and corporate labs, it was renamed the Internet in 1984.
The World Wide Web, that we as today's Internet consumers are familiar with, was invented in 1989 by computer scientist, Sir Tim Berners-Lee. His creation allowed information to be published in a hypertext format on the Internet. It was in 1993, however, that the Web began to truly gain popularity after computer science student, Marc Andreesen, created the first popular web browser named ‘Mosaic’.
Beginning as a military tool in 1958, the U.S. developed and funded a program named “ARPA”. ARPA, or the Advanced Research Projects Agency, was created to expand U.S. science and technology in the shadow of the Soviet launch of Sputnik (1). This program further developed throughout the cold war era to become ARPANET in the late 1960’s. The purpose of ARPANET was to link multiple computers over a network of telephone lines. Cycling acronyms, between ARPANET and DARPANET (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), the creation of this network lay the foundation for the modern internet.
ARPANET originally connected 5 sites; UCLA, Stanford, UC Santa Barbara, the University of Utah and BBN. In 1983, the U.S. Military created a spin off called MILNET (Military Network). This network was developed to carry unclassified information. As ARPANET continued to grow, linking 1,000 hosts in both university and corporate labs, it was renamed the Internet in 1984.
The World Wide Web, that we as today's Internet consumers are familiar with, was invented in 1989 by computer scientist, Sir Tim Berners-Lee. His creation allowed information to be published in a hypertext format on the Internet. It was in 1993, however, that the Web began to truly gain popularity after computer science student, Marc Andreesen, created the first popular web browser named ‘Mosaic’.
Web 1.0, 2.0 & 3.0
As the World Wide Web (WWW) developed, so did the way users interacted with its content. With the advent of APRANET, computers were able to be networked, but it was the development of Web 1.0 that enabled users to consume content.
Web 1.0 was the first interface that allowed users to fetch information from static web pages. In essence, it was simple. Users could search for information and fetch it from a static web page. The browser, therefore, only needed to be a simple interface capable of rendering HTML (Hypertext Markup Language). The HTML code in itself provided a standardized system that allowed the user to see text font, color and graphics.
It was not just computer technology that was making great advances, Telecommunications were also entering into a high tech era. The Simon Personal Communicator claims the moniker of the first Smartphone, albeit without a Web browser. Available to the public on August 16, 1994, using Simon’s touchscreen, the user could send faxes and emails as well as use it as a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant).
Web 1.0 was the first interface that allowed users to fetch information from static web pages. In essence, it was simple. Users could search for information and fetch it from a static web page. The browser, therefore, only needed to be a simple interface capable of rendering HTML (Hypertext Markup Language). The HTML code in itself provided a standardized system that allowed the user to see text font, color and graphics.
It was not just computer technology that was making great advances, Telecommunications were also entering into a high tech era. The Simon Personal Communicator claims the moniker of the first Smartphone, albeit without a Web browser. Available to the public on August 16, 1994, using Simon’s touchscreen, the user could send faxes and emails as well as use it as a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant).
However, it was Web 2.0 that truly allowed interaction between users. By the mid 2000’s, the number of users exceeds one billion and the number of Web pages nears 100 million. The Web itself had also became more interactive. User were able to create and share content. This also supported social networking. For example, a simple Tweet from a Twitter account actually takes the form of a Web page. Web 2.0 allowed for a greater level of connectivity, and therefore, the ability to share knowledge easily.
The 2000’s also saw the advent of devices that we would truly call Smartphones. Smartphones, typically having a touchscreen, allow the user to perform many of the functions seen as the domain of a computer. They have an operating system capable of running applications (or Apps) and are able to access the Internet. In essence they have the same functionality of as a desktop computer.
It was BlackBerry that presented the marketplace with the first integrated phone in 2003, when it released the BlackBerry 6210. This device allowed the user to email, text, browse the web and use the BlackBerry Messenger service- a system that allowed for web-based communication between BlackBerry users.
In January 2007, Apple launched its first iPhone. This device would be more readily recognizable as a Smartphone by users today. Apple described the phones as combining integrating a mobile phone, an iPod and a wireless communication device into one. One of the more revolutionary features was the iPhone’s touchscreen that allowed the users to use their fingers to complete commands.
In 2014, interactivity continued to develop between users and the Web. As the number of web pages approaches one billion, Web 3.0 adds a new layer to the architecture- metadata. Metadata allows computers to better understand what your data is about as they process it. This adds a layer of intelligence where computer programs are able to interact with the user. A simple example would be making recommendations about content through analysis of past search history.
With approximately 7 billion people on the planet, and approximately 2.5 billion people using the Internet, a huge percentage of the earth's population can be reached through web applications being run on both computers and Smartphones. The implications for educators and students are profound, as this video attests.
The 2000’s also saw the advent of devices that we would truly call Smartphones. Smartphones, typically having a touchscreen, allow the user to perform many of the functions seen as the domain of a computer. They have an operating system capable of running applications (or Apps) and are able to access the Internet. In essence they have the same functionality of as a desktop computer.
It was BlackBerry that presented the marketplace with the first integrated phone in 2003, when it released the BlackBerry 6210. This device allowed the user to email, text, browse the web and use the BlackBerry Messenger service- a system that allowed for web-based communication between BlackBerry users.
In January 2007, Apple launched its first iPhone. This device would be more readily recognizable as a Smartphone by users today. Apple described the phones as combining integrating a mobile phone, an iPod and a wireless communication device into one. One of the more revolutionary features was the iPhone’s touchscreen that allowed the users to use their fingers to complete commands.
In 2014, interactivity continued to develop between users and the Web. As the number of web pages approaches one billion, Web 3.0 adds a new layer to the architecture- metadata. Metadata allows computers to better understand what your data is about as they process it. This adds a layer of intelligence where computer programs are able to interact with the user. A simple example would be making recommendations about content through analysis of past search history.
With approximately 7 billion people on the planet, and approximately 2.5 billion people using the Internet, a huge percentage of the earth's population can be reached through web applications being run on both computers and Smartphones. The implications for educators and students are profound, as this video attests.
REFERENCES
5 major moments in cellphone history | CBC News. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2018, from http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/5-major-moments-in-cellphone-history-1.1407352
Aamoth, D. (2014, August 18). First Smartphone: Fun Facts About Simon. Retrieved April 12, 2018, from http://time.com/3137005/first-smartphone-ibm-simon/
Allaire, J. (n.d.). The first Internet Phone circa 1996. Retrieved April 12, 2018, from https://www.brightcove.com/en/blog/2009/03/first-internet-phone-circa-1996
Featherly, K. (2016, November 28). ARPANET. Retrieved April 12, 2018, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/ARPANET
Hall, K. M. (2017, April 12). The evolution of the internet. Retrieved April 12, 2018, from https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/0/evolution-internet/
Marsan, C. D. (2009, February 09). The Evolution of the Internet. Retrieved April 12, 2018, from https://www.networkworld.com/article/2870267/lan-wan/the-evolution-of-the-internet.html#slide2
Shannon, R. (n.d.). HTML Source : HTML Tutorials. Retrieved April 12, 2018, from http://www.yourhtmlsource.com/starthere/whatishtml.html
Web 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 Application Architecture (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2018, from http://researchhubs.com/post/computing/web-application/web-1-2-and-3.html
What is ARPA (Advanced Research Projects Agency)? - Definition from WhatIs.com. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2018, from http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/definition/ARPA
5 major moments in cellphone history | CBC News. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2018, from http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/5-major-moments-in-cellphone-history-1.1407352
Aamoth, D. (2014, August 18). First Smartphone: Fun Facts About Simon. Retrieved April 12, 2018, from http://time.com/3137005/first-smartphone-ibm-simon/
Allaire, J. (n.d.). The first Internet Phone circa 1996. Retrieved April 12, 2018, from https://www.brightcove.com/en/blog/2009/03/first-internet-phone-circa-1996
Featherly, K. (2016, November 28). ARPANET. Retrieved April 12, 2018, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/ARPANET
Hall, K. M. (2017, April 12). The evolution of the internet. Retrieved April 12, 2018, from https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/0/evolution-internet/
Marsan, C. D. (2009, February 09). The Evolution of the Internet. Retrieved April 12, 2018, from https://www.networkworld.com/article/2870267/lan-wan/the-evolution-of-the-internet.html#slide2
Shannon, R. (n.d.). HTML Source : HTML Tutorials. Retrieved April 12, 2018, from http://www.yourhtmlsource.com/starthere/whatishtml.html
Web 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 Application Architecture (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2018, from http://researchhubs.com/post/computing/web-application/web-1-2-and-3.html
What is ARPA (Advanced Research Projects Agency)? - Definition from WhatIs.com. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2018, from http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/definition/ARPA