The computer! The Media Studies program incorporated the computer into their curriculum by the late 1980s.  By tracking the evolution of the computer we are able to see changes in technology, particularly digital ones, and their rise to prominence in the classroom. 

By 1989, the computer as a production tool was gaining popularity and therefore being included in production courses, so students could learn computer applications and graphic design, as well as basic computer usage.  The 1989 Course Catalog quotes from Sherry Turkle's The Second Self: Computers and the Human Spirit: “Computers call up strong feelings, even for those who are not in direct contact with them. People sense the presence of something new and exciting.”

In the 1997 course catalog, it is important to note the changes in the courses that involve the computer. For example, the term "computer" is no longer being used in the course descriptions, but is instead implied by the term "digital."

Although not a production course, it is important to include the DIAL (Distance Instruction for Adult Learners) courses.  The DIAL program started in 1994.  The 1997 catalog is one of the first to include the DIAL option. It is important that it is included in this section, because it shows the direct influence of the computer in pedagogy.

By the early 2000s, the computer and the digital begin to blend together to the point where the term "computer" is no longer used in the catalogs but implied. The computer and computer applications become the dominant tool for media design. 

In the Spring 2000 course catalog the internet and the concept of "digital" had clearly picked up, this is also apparent because it seems that the course catalogs had become digitized.  The Fall 2000 course catalog began offering a Web Design and Production course. By this time the web is still very "1.0," but The New School made sure to include this new form of media in the course catalog. 

By Spring 2000, the computer is becoming synonymous with design, at least in terms of the way it is being taught within the Media Studies Program. At this point, the lines between "digital" and computer have blurred. There were no more "computer courses, " but rather, design courses that use the computer as a design and digital film editing tool. You can see the evolution of digital filmmaking on this page. 

By the 2007 course catalog, Web 2.0 (Social media, user-created content, etc.) had taken hold.  How does an institution deal with such a shift?  By including Web Design Courses.  These courses not only involved production but also theory, which again, is important to the Media Studies program. 

By 2014, course offerings are even greater in number and variety than in the 2007 course catalog.  In 2014, almost all production courses involve computers, whether it be for design, web, or digital editing purposes. 

The Webisode course also indicates a shift in media communication by making a purely internet based type of media.  

By tracking the evolution and integration of the computer technology in the Media Studies courses, we are able to see some of the ways in which pedagogy adapts to technological shifts.