CMP Review 2023-07-04

July 4, 2023

Today, technology has permeated every aspect of life. We live in what many observers call a “digitally saturated world.” If the digital has saturated our lives, should it saturate our practice of education too?

Many people speculate how Charlotte Mason would have responded to the tide of technological innovations that claims to enhance the learning process. But these devices and tools emerged many years after Mason’s passing from the world, so we can’t know for sure what she would have thought.

But even in the 1930s, new technology was penetrating homes and schools. Film, radio, and aerial photography were among the most assertive. The PNEU Organising Secretary, known for her “enthusiasm for Charlotte Mason’s philosophy,” carefully analyzed these technologies and wrote about their possible role in a Charlotte Mason education.

Her article has aged well. But it doesn’t merely provide a helpful perspective on media and maps. It also provides a template for how to evaluate the digital of our day, written from the point of view of someone who knew Miss Mason personally. You can read or hear it here.

@artmiddlekauff