• DrSteveBrule@mander.xyz
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    3 months ago

    One part of me wants to feel disappointed that kids aren’t learning to read analog clocks, but another part of me thinks there was a time when people grew disappointed that the younger generations stopped learning to use an abacus in favor of digital calculators. I certainly don’t want some old geezer giving me shit because I don’t want to learn to use an abacus. I also don’t want to be that old geezer.

      • DrSteveBrule@mander.xyz
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        3 months ago

        No doubt. I wasn’t trying to imply that either one is useless, but things change and new technology takes over. Another person replied to me comparing cursive and typing on a computer. I catch myself thinking that new generations are at a disadvantage because they don’t learn the same things I did. But it may not always be necessary that they do. I am of the computer typing generation. I didn’t learn to write beautiful cursive, but my life hasn’t been negatively impacted even though many people have expressed sympathy for my awful education. I was just trying to say I think it’s a rather normal thing for old systems to get phased out of a classroom from time to time. It’s not really a good reason to believe that younger generations are doomed. But like I said I fall into that line of thinking myself from time to time.

    • nickiwest@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      Teacher here.

      I’m pretty certain that the only place where my students ever encounter an analog clock is at school. But teaching how to read analog clocks is required in our math education standards, so I have one and I use it, even though I think there are other, more relevant places to put our academic focus.

      I’m 45 years old. I’m pretty sure we only ever had one analog clock in our house when I was growing up in the '80s, and that was my grandpa’s alarm clock. The only places I’ve been where only analog clocks were available have been schools. Even our local bank in my small town changed to a digital clock on its sign outside.

      Unfortunately, education systems are dictated by legislators, who are often old and out-of-touch. So I doubt we’ll see a change in the education requirements any time soon. But, just like how keyboarding has replaced cursive in classrooms, it will eventually come.

      • FelixCress@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        Teacher here.

        I’m pretty certain that the only place where my students ever encounter an analog clock is at school.

        What the actual fuck? Are you not using wrist watches at all at whatever US hole you are a teacher at? Because most of these are analogue.

        • nickiwest@lemmy.world
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          3 months ago

          Not currently teaching in a “US hole.” I’ve been teaching in South America for 5 years and I have never noticed an analog clock in a public place here.