British schools are removing analogue clocks from exam halls as teenagers 'cannot tell the time'

The Telegraph ^ | April 24, 2018 | Camilla Turner

[Trump20162020]

Schools are removing analogue clocks from examination halls because teenagers are unable to tell the time, a head teachers’ union has said.

Teachers are now installing digital devices after pupils sitting their GCSE and A-level exams complained that they were struggling to read the correct time on an analogue clock.

Malcolm Trobe, deputy general secretary at the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said youngsters have become accustomed to using digital devices.

“The current generation aren’t as good at reading the traditional clock face as older generations,” he told The Telegraph.

[TBP]

Somebody may have to rescue Britain.

[Deaf Smith]

Oncoming contact at 2 o'clock.

Second seater: *What clock?

[Kickass Conservative]

Time to put Rotary Dials on Cell Phones just to mess with their heads.

[EinNYC]

You cannot imagine the shock and surprise I experienced the first time a student in a NYC public high school asked me what time it was. I pointed to a large clock on the wall behind me and said, "There's a clock. Why are you asking me?" They replied that they didn't know how to read time off that kind of clock.

Apparently their crappy "parent" didn't have time to teach them how to tell time. Or manners, for that matter.

[fishtank]

[Mrs. Don-o]

My sundial won’t go to Daylight Savings.

[Mrs. Don-o]

My sundial won’t go to Daylight Savings.

[Mrs. Don-o]

My sundial won’t go to Daylight Savings.

[21twelve]

It’s that third big hand that always confuses me - and it goes so FAST!!

[bgill]

Dumbing down to the lowest common denominator.

This couldn’t have anything to do with their invaders, could it?

Get used to it. It’s the norm. Part and parcel.

[21twelve]

“Being a paperboy teaches you everything you need to know in life. Really.”

A lot of truth to that statement.

I was a paperboy from about 7th grade to a senior in high school. 10th - 12th grade I subbed it out to a neighbor kid to do it during the school year as I had sports after school. I would still do the Saturday and Sunday routes, and go around for collections. (I kept all the tips!)

I wanted to quit in 10th grade but the paper gave me a raise, and said they would put the paper drop at my house. Only had one other route on it. When that guy quit the paper asked if I would take on his route. Okay - but I want another raise. They did.

But then, seeing as I was the only paper boy for that paper drop, they wanted to combine it with another drop about a mile away. Nope - I’m quitting. So they left the drop at my house. And of course as “Drop Manager” - I got paid a bit extra too!

Of course the most important part was dealing with the customers and all of their various quirks and being friendly to them. After I was off to college many of them would see my parents and inquire about me. “Next time he’s home - have him pop over for a soda so we can chat.” (And I would).

Heh - even learning about world events as I would read the paper while walking between houses! (Although for part of one block I stopped doing that as a guy yelled at me for reading his paper - “I’m paying for a NEW paper - not a used one - stop reading my paper!”)

[bgill]

I’d have tests and give them 100 to read an analog clock. 0 if they can’t. Too bad if it messes up their perfect 4.0 gpa.

Do they print their names on their papers? Who’s to say that little Johnny wrote his paper or not without cursive. No, no one gets to turn in a typed print out of their work. All on college rule notebook paper and in cursive. Anyone asking if a one page report is both sides of the paper, then say yes.

[Trillian]

You’d think they’d use this as a teaching opportunity, since it’s a school.

[blackdog]

My wife was our paper girl, delivering the Philadelphia Bulletin. Married 37 years now. I also had a paper route. I only later realized just how valuable it was in dealing with customers when I was a Bartender in college.

[blackdog]

Good thing I didn’t scare them with my electricians clock.

[jmacusa]

“It was a bright cold day in April and the cocks were striking thirteen....’’

[minnesota_bound]

Wouldn’t this be a teachable moment.
Bring in some kindergartners to teach the stupid teenagers how to tell time.

[Ohioan]

“The current generation aren’t as good at reading the traditional clock face as older generations,"

For that statement to be valid, and not misdirection, the comparison would have to be to the parents or grandparents of the students. There have been significant changes in school populations in British schools over the post World War II decades. But, then, modern Britain does not compare in any sense to the Britain that "ruled" the waves in the 19th Century.

[Billthedrill]

Mr Trobe, a former headmaster, said that teachers want their students to feel as relaxed as possible during exams. Having a traditional clock in the room could be a cause of unnecessary stress, he added.

Well, I don't. I want the little buggers to feel the pressure like I did. "Screw this test up and you'll be dancing a fandango on punji sticks in a rice paddy, kiddies!" Yeah, buddy.

It does confer a certain sense of clarity. And despite the presentation of the data in a digital format, it isn't really decimal at all - the minutes stop at 60, not 100, and the hours at either 12 or 24 depending on how confusing the owner wants it to be. Compared to that, analogue isn't really that difficult to grasp. Don't even start me on sundials.

[VaeVictis]

They all probably have cell phones... they could look up instructions on how to read a clock.... yet they don’t know how to tell time? Something... is very wrong here.