Excuses, excuses - why we shouldn't use ICT

Students today can’t prepare bark to calculate their problems. They depend on 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

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

Students today depend too much upon ink... Pen and ink will never replace the pencil.”
National Association of Teachers, 1907

Students today depend upon store-bought ink. They don’t know how to make their own... This is a sad commentary on modern education.”
The Rural American Teacher, 1929

Students today depend upon these expensive fountain pens... We parents must not allow them to wallow in such luxury to the detriment of learning...”
PTA Gazette, 1941

Ball point pens will be the ruin of education in our country...”
Federal Teacher, 1950

 

Sound familiar? Superb post over at Brian's place.

Comments

[Craig]

I remember hearing exactly the same when they introduced calculators in the 80's. We'd all become innumerate and the whole of western civilisation would grind to a halt.

[Craig]

I remember hearing exactly the same when they introduced calculators in the 80's. We'd all become innumerate and the whole of western civilisation would grind to a halt.

[Bob Hill]

Of course, the truth is that all these are skills which went beyond their sell by dates. Web 2.0 will go the same way, probably more quickly than ink!

[Ewan McIntosh]

The one crucial difference between Web 2.0 and all the previous means of communication is that the Live Web actively changes the manner in which we communicate. While every means of communication up until now has been one to very few (writing on bark, on paper, with a fountain pen, ballpoint...) Web 2.0 means we are communicating one to many. That changes the nature of the way we think, present our arguments, present ourselves in a manner which the other tools and mechanisms only provided for a Lucky Few. (Spot the two word quote to make my point: Stendhal).