A Brief History of Music, Computers and Thinking: 1972–2015

Abstract

The inaugural issue of the International Journal of Computers and Mathematical Learning (IJCML) appeared in 1996. Now, nearly 20 years later, Digital Experiences in Mathematics Education (DEME) arises like a Phoenix from its ashes. I would like to use the occasion to reflect, on the travels of Logo and specifically MusicLogo beginning with the 1970s when it was first taking shape in the Logo Lab at MIT, through its status as reported in the 1996 IJCML. Then, looking back from here, 20 years later again, the scene looks quite different: MusicLogo has disappeared having morphed into Impromptu, and Impromptu is now available on an iPad. But this journey is just a small instance of related travels that I hope will be pursued by others—for example why did Logo, the original progenitor, disappear as it morphed into Scratch, Netlogo, Boxer and more?