Will technology take precedence over paper, pens, and writing? Should it?

More and more, I am seeing technology taking over classrooms and life in general. People don't write letters. Kids turn in papers written in Word, or e-mail them. It doesn't seem like kids will be learning to write in the near future. Books are electronic, and a lot of learning enforcement is done electronically.

So here's my question. Will technology take over soon? Will kids no longer be able to write, or use books? Is this a good thing or not? What do you think?

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Permalink Reply by Andrea Thompson on December 7, 2012 at 1:27pm

I think it's up to people to not let technology take over, we are in control of this, as we have the choice of what tools we use. Technology should be seen as a tool to aid us and as another tool alongside books and writing, it is not instead of, but alongside books. As humans we have always progressed and developed means of communication, and technology is part of this progresson, so I feel we do need to embrace this and see the value it can offer, but not to devalue other means such as writing and books. If people want to keep traditional means alive, then they need to do so and people learn in different ways, so we need to have choice to accommodate this.

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Permalink Reply by cprofitt on December 8, 2012 at 1:16pm

-= sigh =-

I can only imagine the questions asked by skilled penmen world over when Johannes Gensfleisch zur Laden zum Gutenberg invented the printing press. I really think you are not talking about technology, but computers and digital technology. Pencils are technology. Some skills will fade as they are no longer necessary. What percentage of people knew how to milk a cow by hand in 1700? 1800? 1900? 2000? What is the history of the slide rule?

OK, sarcasm aside.

I think that writing skills still need to be taught, but I also think that programming and general computing skills need to be worked in to the curriculum as well. I would, at this time in my environment, say that computer science skills are not taught enough.

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Permalink Reply by Sandra E. Thompson on December 9, 2012 at 9:55pm

On a personal level, I just sent my handwritten Christmas cards by snail mail. I love sending and receiving handwritten letters, postcards and invitations. 'Old fashioned' perhaps, but nice.

Does Santa have an email address?