Tongue-in-cheek look at technology beliefs through the decades.

1. Technology Beliefs

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 the 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
a slate without getting chalk dust over
themselves. They can’t clean a slate
properly. What will they do when they
run out of paper?”
...Principals’ Association, 1815

4. “Students today depend too much upon
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 too much upon
store bought ink. They don’t know how to
make their own. When they run out of ink,
they will be unable to write words or cipher
until their next trip to the settlement. This is
a sad commentary on modern times.”
...Rural American Teacher, 1929

6. “Students today depend upon these
expensive fountain pens. 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 American virtues of thrift
and frugality are being discarded. Business and
banks will never allow such expensive luxuries.”
...Federal Teacher, 1959

8. “Calculators will be the ruin of Math
Education. Students will never learn Math
concepts. How will they calculate when they
don’t have their calculator with them?”
...Some Teachers, Today

9. “Technology is essential in teaching and learning
mathematics; it influences the mathematics that is taught
and enhances students’ learning. Students can develop
deeper understanding of mathematics with the appropriate
use of technology. Technology can help support
investigation by students in every area of mathematics and
allow them to focus on decision making, reflection,
reasoning, and problem solving. The existence, versatility,
and power of technology make it possible and necessary to
reexamine what mathematics students should learn as well
as how they can best learn it.”
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics , 2000

10. “Technology is essential in teaching and learning
mathematics; it influences the mathematics that is taught
and enhances students’ learning. Students can develop
deeper understanding of mathematics with the appropriate
use of technology. Technology can help support
investigation by students in every area of mathematics and
allow them to focus on decision making, reflection,
reasoning, and problem solving. The existence, versatility,
and power of technology make it possible and necessary to
reexamine what mathematics students should learn as well
as how they can best learn it.”
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics , 2000