Introduction
The blackboard had been an indispensable tool in a classroom since the 19th century, as it has shown to be effective in imparting knowledge to groups of students.
The Social Construction of Technology (SCOT) argues that the theory that technology determines human behaviour is incorrect, instead, it is the societal forces that affects the development of technology. The example used in this article would discuss how the society has led to the evolution of the blackboard over the years, using some of the elements of SCOT.
Before the 19th century, students used individual slates for practising arithmetic and writing in a classroom. The slates are similar to small whiteboards that students use in primary schools during mathematics classes. The slate pens are made of calcium, which left white marks on the slate that can be erased, allowing the board to be reused.
Chalk were used in place of the slate pencil due to its relative ease in writing as compared to the calcium sticks used, which children may not have enough strength to make visible writings on the slate. The slate was then cleaned with water and soap, or a wet cloth to remove the writings on it.
However, as the number of students in a classroom increased, the teachers found it challenging to explain concepts to all the students as it requires more time to walk to each students and give them instructions. Thus, in the year 1802, a geography teacher in Scotland came up with the idea of combining multiple slates together on the wall to form a large slate, enabling all the students to see what was presented by the teacher without having him to walk around.
The transition from individual slates to a large blackboard on the classroom wall can be analysed using the elements of SCOT.
Interpretive Flexibility
Different users may have different views on the introduction of blackboards in classrooms. For the teachers, they would probably think that the blackboard saves time as they would not need to go around and coach the students individually, allowing more content to be covered in each lesson. Nevertheless, some of the students may have felt that they receive less personalised attention when the teacher checked their class work less often, which increases the students’ uncertainty on whether they have learnt the information accurately. Also, the slates manufacturers might not have welcomed the blackboard as it meant that they had to change their operations from making small boards to large blackboards, which would require an increase in the production cost.
Relevant Social Groups
The most apparent social groups for the blackboard would be the teachers, the students and the manufacturers. However, there are other groups of people who played significant roles in the use of blackboards. The popularity of blackboards could be attributed to the parents of students who noticed the improvements in their child’s learning in the classroom and thus supported its use. The media might also have reported on the innovation and advertised the use of blackboards, leading to its popularity in the 19th century.
Design Flexibility
Over time, the relevant social groups would have made modifications to the design of blackboards to bring more benefits.
One modification was to replace the slate stones with porcelain-coated steel as the surface of the blackboard. The new design allowed chalk marks to be erased more easily with a wet cloth, and also lengthened the shelf-life of the boards, which was favoured by the teachers. Another modification made in the 1960s was to change the colour of the board from black to green. The reason was that the colour green is less tiring to look at for a prolonged period of time, enabling students to concentrate better in class. Moreover, different coloured chalks were introduced to make it easier to categorise the content taught, and also encourage group presentations on the board.
Problems and conflicts
Due to different views on the blackboard, there is bound to be disagreements between distinct social groups. For example, the blackboard may not have been well-received by some students or teachers due to the amount of chalk dust accumulating in the classroom which might have been difficult to clean. Some students might also have preferred using individual slates as they receive more attention from the teachers. Nevertheless, the blackboard was generally appreciated in classrooms as it encouraged more constructive learning.
Conclusion
To conclude, the shift from slates to blackboards has revolutionised the methods of education. This shift is largely influenced by the demands of society, showing how social forces can have such impact on the design of this pedagogical tool. In my opinion, I believe that the design of blackboards would continue to change with the shifts in societal expectations. Therefore, the next article would discuss the transition from blackboards to whiteboards using SCOT.
The whiteboard was often known as the improved version of the blackboard, as there is no longer a need to clean up chalk dust, or be wary of inhaling too much of the dust which may irritate the respiratory tract. However, there are still differing views on whether the blackboard or whiteboard is better for teaching in class.
For example, the classrooms in NTU hive has walls that can be written on using markers, allowing more space for students to present their ideas in class. Moreover, technological advances has enabled more creative designs and uses of the whiteboard. The SMART board, which allows user to interact with the board by just touching it, was a significant breakthrough in the world of classroom equipment.
The Board's Tale 