Hello Math Lovers! 🧮
Today, we have a special treat! 🎉 A guest blogger who's seen it all from the front lines of our classrooms. Yes, it's the trusty chalkboard! 🖍️📋
From chalk dust to calculators, it's been there through every equation and every 'Ah-ha!' moment. 💡
So, let's dive into a unique perspective on the evolution of technology in the classroom. Over to you, Chalkboard! 🎈
-DrJ
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📚 Not long ago, in a small, bustling classroom, I stood proudly against the wall. I am the chalkboard, the silent observer of the evolution of math teaching. I remember the days when Mr. Johnson, a passionate math teacher, used to solve equations with chalk and duster, his hands moving swiftly across my surface.
In the early days, calculators were a distant dream. Mr. Johnson would often say, "The best tool you have is your brain." He would encourage his students to solve problems by scribe, emphasizing the importance of understanding the process rather than just the result. The students would fill their notebooks with intense calculations, their brows furrowed in concentration, as they tried to solve complex problems.
There was one calculation tool that was a common sight in at the time classrooms - the slide rule. From the late 19th century until about 1970, slide rules served as the principal calculating instruments for engineers, scientists, electricians, navigators, high school and college students, and others. Mr. Johnson and his students were no exception. They used slide rules to perform various calculations, from simple multiplication and division to more complex operations involving square roots, trigonometric functions, and logarithms.
Then, one day, a new device entered our classroom. It was the late 1970s, and Mr. Johnson brought in a calculator, a device that could perform calculations faster and more accurately than any human could. The students were fascinated, their eyes wide with wonder as they watched numbers being crunched at the press of a button. But Mr. Johnson was cautious. He feared that the students would become too reliant on the device, that they would lose their ability to estimate and learn from their errors.
As the years passed, the calculator became more commonplace. The price dropped, making it accessible to all students. Mr. Johnson, like many other teachers, had to adapt. He began to incorporate calculators into his lessons, teaching students not only how to use them but also when to use them. He emphasized that calculators were tools, not crutches, and that understanding the underlying math was still crucial.
By the mid-1980s, calculators had become an integral part of the curriculum. They were even required in some state-mandated tests. Mr. Johnson, once a skeptic, now championed their use. He saw how calculators allowed his students to solve more complex problems, to explore advanced concepts that would have been too time-consuming to tackle manually.
In the 1990s, the debate around calculators reached a tipping point. The College Board allowed, and later mandated, their use in exams. Almost all of Mr. Johnson's students brought a calculator to their SATs. Research showed that students who used calculators performed better than those who didn't, but Mr. Johnson knew that the type of calculator mattered. He guided his students in choosing the right calculator, teaching them the difference between a four-function, scientific, and graphing calculator. Afterall, the proper tool can make all the difference in the world for it's user.
🤖 And now, a new era is dawning. Artificial Intelligence and Language Learning Models are making their way into the classroom. I wonder how Mr. Johnson will react to this new wave of technology? Will he will he approach it with the same initial skepticism as he did with the calculators? Will he eventually embrace it? Only time will tell. But I do predict, that just like with calculators, Mr. Johnson will learn to teach his students to use these tools to empower their own learning and abilities. And, no doubt he will give the same advice as he always does: "The best tool you have is your brain."
It's certainly not an easy time to be a teacher. But one thing is for sure, passion for teaching and dedication to students will guide us all through these changes. These things stay the same.
Speaking of changes, who can forget the audacious whiteboards and their so-called 'dry-erase' markers? They came in with their glossy surfaces and odor-filled markers, claiming to be the next best thing. But let me tell you, there's nothing quite as tragic as a math equation that's supposed to erase but doesn't. It's like a ghost-of-math-problems-past that refuses to leave. So here's to us, the chalkboards, the unsung heroes of the classroom. We may be dusty, but we wear it with pride, and our equations, once erased, stay erased! 🎉
Alas, I am getting off topic…but I do fear those pesky smart boards will eventually be the death of me. Has anyone seen my eraser? I think I need a snuggle.
Be well!
-Chalkboard
---------------------------------------------------REFERENCES
1. American History Museum. (n.d.). Slide Rules. Retrieved July 21, 2023. [Link]( https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object-groups/slide-rules)
3. "A Brief History of Calculators in the Classroom." Hack Education. Accessed July 21, 2023. [Link](http://hackeducation.com/2015/03/12/calculators)
4. "How AI can transform education for students and teachers." World Economic Forum. Accessed July 21, 2023. [Link](https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/05/ai-accelerate-students-holistic-development-teaching-fulfilling)
5. "The History of the Whiteboard and Ideation." IdeaScale. Accessed July 21, 2023. [Link](https://ideascale.com/blog/history-of-the-whiteboard-and-ideation/)
6. "Smart Board Use In Education." Boston College. Accessed July 21, 2023. [Link](https://libguides.bc.edu/smartboard)
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