The Chronicle showcases 50 years of technology in higher ed

1/24/2017 Rebecca Nash, ECE ILLINOIS

Illinois-based breakthroughs PLATO and the Mosaic web browser made the list of groundbreaking innovations that propelled the information age into the future.

Written by Rebecca Nash, ECE ILLINOIS

The Digital Era has transformed technology over the past 50 years. The University of Illinois is responsible for two groundbreaking innovations that have changed learning institutions forever, according to an article posted by The Chronicle of Higher Education

The PLATO computer terminal in use.
The PLATO computer terminal in use.
The Programmed Logic for Automatic Teaching Operations (PLATO), founded at the University of Illinois in 1970, is a system that has created a networked learning environment for students. PLATO included features like forums, email, instant messaging, online testing, message boards, chat rooms, and screen sharing, all of which are still important aspects of the modern internet. By the mid 1970's, there were over 950 terminals in use in colleges all over the country with 3,500 hours of courseware in more than 1000 subject areas. 

A screenshot of the NCSA Mosaic browser.
A screenshot of the NCSA Mosaic browser.
Browsing the web significantly improved after the invention of the Mosaic browser in 1992, which was developed at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications at the University of Illinois. The Mosaic web browser initiated interaction with a computer mouse, colorful graphics, and practical icons. This browser set the foundation for further internet innovations like Netscape and Mozilla. 

To read about more useful ideas that changed higher education and propelled the information age, visit The Chronicle's interactive timeline of the digital revolution. 

 

 


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This story was published January 24, 2017.