New Delhi (Viral Photo). These days there is a debate going on about the use of AI and ChatGPT in schools. Meanwhile, a 40 year old picture is going viral on social media, which takes us to an interesting turn of history. This picture is from the time when ‘calculator’ was considered the biggest threat to education. In the 1980s, mathematics teachers in many countries including America took to the streets to protest against the use of calculators in the classroom.

He believed that this small machine would make children’s minds dull and destroy their basic ability to calculate. This ‘throwback’ is going viral viral The photo has shocked the current generation. The teachers had placards in their hands, on which it was written that calculators would prevent children from learning mathematics. This protest was exactly the same as is being seen today regarding AI tools. Teachers were afraid that if machines started doing the calculations, students would never remember tables and formulas.

The era when pencil and paper were king

Portable calculators began becoming cheap and accessible in the early 1980s. Till that time, mathematics meant long calculations, multiplication done by hand and full use of the brain. The teachers’ argument was that if students got the answers by pressing buttons on their fingers, they would never be able to understand ‘number sense’. Some then-members of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics had warned that this technology could cripple the mental development of students.

The method of protest and the truth of the viral picture

In the picture going viral, teachers can be seen with slogans like ‘Calculators: Just Say No’. This demonstration was not just a protest against technology, but an attempt to save tradition. Teachers were afraid that with the advent of calculators, discipline towards mathematics would end. He was also worried that poor students would not be able to purchase these machines, which would create a ‘digital divide’ in the classroom. However, with time this fear proved wrong.

Journey from protest to change

Despite strong opposition from teachers, the technology could not be stopped. Gradually, education boards realized that calculators could help students solve ‘difficult problems’ and increase focus on ‘logical thinking’ by saving them from boring calculations. By the 90s, calculators started being officially allowed in examinations. After the advent of graphing calculator, the nature of mathematics education changed and it was accepted as a ‘device’ instead of a hindrance.

Big lesson for today’s ‘AI’ era

This old incident teaches that resisting technology is often futile. The same debate that was about calculators 40 years ago is about AI today. History has shown that the education world has always taken time to adopt new technology, but eventually those devices become a part of the learning process. Today, when we see those pictures protesting against calculators, we understand that instead of being afraid of future technology, it is wise to adopt it properly.



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