Overview
The exhibit I have chosen for the Media Archive Exhibition is the Slate. The origin of slates usage in education is said to be around 18th century and it was said to be used much in the Welsh Industry and the Welsh soon became world’s primary supplier of slate. Slates played a major role in Education as it was a common medium for writing in schools. It was the predecessor of Notebooks and Tablets which were used in schools for writing. Slates were used also because of the less challenges on manual writing by the use of erasing easily and writing in big and small fonts. Furthermore, students could wipe out mistakes immediately during their writing on Slates. Even though paper and Ink was invented, slates were much more convenient because of its portability and ease of access. Slates were never meant to replace feather and ink but they served as an introductory medium because they were reusable, cheaper and easier to handle.
From an educational perspective, Slates were frequently used in classrooms, especially in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Slates were used by students, particularly in elementary schools, to teach and practice writing. The slate’s surface made it simple for students to write and erase what they had written, it was a useful and reusable tool for improving their writing skills. Students were observed to improve spelling, handwriting, and the use of using correct sentences through the process of writing and erasing.
The field of Arithmetic also were using Slates , mainly for practicing arithmetic and math problems in addition to writing. On their slates, students created mathematical equations and worked through the issues. Students interacted with numerical ideas and were practicing thoroughly thanks to this practical approach. The most helpful thing with slates especially in Arithmetic was the ability to correct mistakes immediately and this played a crucial role among students who were practicing seriously and avoiding any manual challenges from slates.
Slates were also used for reading practice, more than their usual purpose of writing. For students to read and then discuss, teachers or other educators could write words, sentences, or sections on a slate. Students’ reading comprehension and abilities improved because of this interactive reading exercise. Additionally, slates were medium in size and the text written can be written in big fonts so that the entire class could see what was being written. Slates were regarded as the revolutionary medium of the late 18th and early 19th century educational reforms that produced the Prussian educational system, an educational system that has affected nation-building and schools throughout Europe.
Slates encouraged group learning too. Students collaborating on a single slate, taking turns while writing, doing puzzles, or reading encourages Peer learning and interaction which soon improved reading and writing abilities even more. Reviewing what students wrote on their slates, teachers could give specific feedback on each student’s writing and assignments depending on the subject the wrote in. This made it easier for teachers for giving individualized attention and direction to students. In Prussia during the 1800s, education was assigned to the government. The range of private, religious, and cooperative schools was superseded by state schools. Standards were set for curricula, and educators were given state education. For several academics, the person and their right to free thought were essential components of public education. This idea was supported by the new style of writing classes, which allowed students to jot down their ideas and create a unique handwriting.
Cost-Effective and Portability, Slates were highly affordable and lightweight, which allowed students to use them in classrooms with limited resources. For example, even if a student broke a slate by mistake, schools had provision to supply students with slates even if something happened. Schools used to stock slates mainly because of its cost effectiveness and portability.
PERSONAL COMMENTARY
Slates were the essential tools to the habitat of writing among children in schools. It encouraged the effective use of communication and interaction between students , enhancing the skills to read and memorize educational content easily without fail. I feel that slates were the main contributors for effective memory training in students. Slates were the reason for many of its successors such as chalkboards and futuristic smartboards. I feel if slates never existed we would have lost an effective tool in the industry of education.
REFERENCES
Writing slate. MUSEUM OF TEACHING AND LEARNING. (n.d.). https://www.motal.org/writing-slate.html
Trottmann, M. (2019) Writing slates – tablets of the 19th century, Seren. Available at: https://www.seren.bangor.ac.uk/uncategorized/2019/11/01/writing-slates-tablets-of-the-19th-century/ (Accessed: 06 November 2023).
Slate (writing) (2023) Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slate_(writing) (Accessed: 06 November 2023).