The document presents concerns from teachers and administrators over several centuries about students' dependence on new technologies for writing and calculation. In 1703, some worried students relied too much on slates instead of bark for calculations. In 1815 and 1907, others felt students were too dependent on paper and ink instead of slate and pencil. Concerns continued in the following decades over store-bought ink, fountain pens, ballpoint pens, and handheld calculators replacing traditional writing and arithmetic methods. However, the concluding passage notes that while technologies change, the core skills remain, and people will always critique new methods.

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,
1950

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. Creative Commons License Photos
Used
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/sparetomato/4959640075/sizes/z/in/photostream/
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/dgj103/1295257285/sizes/z/in/photostream/
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/sin_agua/3333093353/sizes/z/in/photostream/
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/andresrueda/3546792997/sizes/z/in/photostream/
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/shu1/6065783/sizes/z/in/photostream/
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/53451669@N07/5124053979/sizes/z/in/photostream/
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/53451669@N07/5124660214/sizes/z/in/photostre
am/
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/53451669@N07/5124660288/sizes/z/in/photostre
am/
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisjagers/4694134078/sizes/z/in/photostream/