This document presents quotes from various teachers' conferences and publications over 300 years expressing concern that students rely too heavily on new technologies for writing and calculation and do not know how to write or calculate without these technologies. The quotes show that with each new technology introduced - from slate to paper to ink pens to fountain pens to ballpoint pens to calculators - teachers worried students would not know how to function without them. However, the document notes that new technologies continue to be adopted and that complaints about each new technology are a "sad commentary" as lives become easier with technological progress.

1. Technology and
Education

2. quot;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. quot;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?quot;
-Principal’s Association, 1815

4. quot;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.quot;
-National Association of Teachers, 1907

5. quot;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. quot;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.quot;
-PTA Gazette, 1941

7. quot;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.quot;
-The Federal Teacher, 1950

8. quot;Students today depend too much on
hand-held calculators.quot;
-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. http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuant63/2240432052/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/caroslines/2254480335/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephaneginer/1919525498/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mbgrigby/2833977744/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lrargerich/3228136099/