2026-07-11 13:30 UTC
@jonmsterling@mathstodon.xyz I'm sorry if I'm being low-brained, but people did, in fact, make this argument about calculators in the 1970s and into the 1980s. So I think some answer is required.
A different but similar example: When I was in first grade our classroom had acquired a cheap manual typewriter, which at the time was an unusual novelty. I liked practicing on the typewriter, but my teacher complained that I would be better off spending more time on my penmanship, which was a more valuable skill. Now, with the wisdom of hindsight, I can say: she was wrong.
Replies (2)
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@jonmsterling@mathstodon.xyz 2026-07-11 13:40
@mjd@mathstodon.xyz Actually, you probably should work on your penmanship. (Speaking as a university teacher who has to mark the most dreadful handwritten exam scripts every single year.)
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@Joshua@mathstodon.xyz 2026-07-11 18:39
@mjd@mathstodon.xyz @jonmsterling@mathstodon.xyz I read the following an article in a Dutch education magazine. A teacher forced their students (aged 15 or so) to write their essays with pen and paper again, instead of a laptop. He saw an increase of creativity and found the overall quality to be improved (except for spelling). Sure, being able to type will be very important later in life. But this teacher also saw a lot of value practicing writing on actual paper.