This document presents a series of quotes from 1703 to 1985 criticizing students' dependence on new technologies for writing and calculation. Each successive generation expressed concern that students no longer knew how to write or calculate without the technologies of that era, such as slate, paper, ink, pencils, pens, and calculators. The document concludes that while technologies change, people will always find something new to complain about.

1. Technology and
Education

2. "Students today can’t prepare bark to calculate their
problems. They depend upon their slates which are more
expensive. What will they do when their slate is dropped
and it breaks? They will be unable to write.
-Teachers Conference, 1703

3. "Students today depend upon paper too much.
They don’t know how to write on slate without
getting chalk dust all over themselves. They can’t
clean a slate properly. What will they do when they
run out of paper?"
-Principal’s Association, 1815

4. "Students depend too much on
ink. They don’t know how to use a
pen knife to sharpen a pencil. Pen
and ink will never replace the
pencil."
-National Association of
Teachers, 1907

5. "Students today depend upon store bought ink. They don’t know how
to make their own. When they run out they will be unable to write
words or ciphers until their next trip to the settlement. This is a sad
commentary on modern education.
-The Rural Teacher, 1929

6. "Students today depend upon these expensive
fountain pins. They can no longer write with a
straight pen and nib (not to mention sharpening
their own quills). We parents must not allow them
to wallow in such luxury to the detriment of
learning how to cope in the real business world,
which is not so extravagant."
-PTA Gazette, 1941

7. "Ball point pens will be the ruin of
education in our country. Students
use these devices and then throw
them away. The virtues of thrift and
frugality are being discarded.
Business and banks will never allow
such expensive luxuries."
-The Federal Teacher, 195

8. "Students today depend too much on hand-held
calculators."
-Anonymous, 1985

9. Today we still use pens, pencils and
calculators. Now we have computers which
make our lives even easier and I’m sure
that no matter what changes happen in the
future someone will complain about it.

10. Attribution
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/declanjewell/1352011
948/
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/houseofsims/2290440
760/
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/mshades/151878629/
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/ndrwfgg/280909916/
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/andresrueda/3546792
997/
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/51597203@N03/